Something Wicked This Way Comes
by EnglishPoet18
Summary: This is a continuance of where we left off at the end of the recent season. The Governor is no where to be found for now and the group has decided to move on. Beth has begun to notice Daryl in a different way, will he respond? Daryl is trying to keep his thoughts pure, will he succeed? Read on to find out! Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is my first attempt at any kind of story such as this. I do not claim rights to these characters or this show. This is merely for entertainment purposes. I may change characters/events as I feel the need to accomodate the story. The main focuse will be on Beth/Daryl with the chapters alternating views. Please, if you like the story or don't like it, don't be afraid to let me know. I'm not scared of criticism. But if you want me to continue, please review and tell me. That's the only way I know to keep going with it. That being said, Enjoy!**

He stood on the outside of a building surrounded by concrete and fences. Strange how this place that was so cold and uncomfortable had started to feel like home. But now it was time to move on he reflected. Daryl wasn't stupid, the Governor was out there somewhere and God only knew what he was up to. He didn't think the Governor would forget all that had occured between the groups. No, he was a sick bastard and Daryl wouldn't underestimate him. The Governor took his brother. His pain in the ass, foul-mouthed, tough, brother. It didn't matter. Daryl and the Governor's paths would cross again someday and Daryl would enjoy getting his revenge. Right now though, he had to focus on getting this group, his _family_, out of here and into a safe place.

After the last escapade with the Governor everyone should have felt better for chasing him away but they didn't. They were on edge here, never knowing what to expect. Rick began coming to Daryl for advice more often and Daryl could see the toll that being the leader had taken on him. Without him so much as saying it, Daryl could tell that Rick needed a break. So little by little, Daryl began making the important decisions. At first, he ran everything by Rick but seeing as how Rick seemed to agree with him on pretty much everything, Daryl quit running it all by him. Tyreese, one of the men from Woodbury who had originally been turned away by their group, was proving to be a valuable asset. He was a great shot and he had lots of strength. He didn't seem to mind taking orders either. His sister, Sasha, well Daryl didn't know too much about her. She always stuck close to her brother. Lately she had been opening up to Carol more and more.

They had another new edition to the group: Keely. She was also a Woodbury survivor. He was still learning about her but so far she seemed ok. She worked hard and seldom complained about anything. She had lots of book smarts and pretty much got along with everyone.

There had been other Woodbury survivors. A nice little bunch bussed over after the last Governor incident. A good bit had been older and they hadn't made it over the summer. Not accustomed to the heat of the prison, they had lost a lot from heat stroke. The few that were left had decided to brave things on their own and Daryl had kindly given them a few supplies to last until they could make it to a town to loot. He wasn't sorry to see them go. No, the less the better he decided. Less people to stab you in the back the moment you let your guard down.

"Daryl!" Glenn's voice cut through Daryl's musings.

"Yea!" He straightened and walked towards Glenn.

All around everyone was doing last minute preparations for the move. They had decided to use as few vehicles as possible to cut down on gas and hopefully allow them to travel faster. They still hadn't come to a final decision about where they would go. Daryl figured they would travel at least a couple hundred miles or better and then just see what they came upon. The more distance they put between them and the Governor, the better.

"I think we're about ready to head out. Tyreese and Rick are doing last minute vehicle checks and the girl's are doing a run through inside for anything that might have gotten missed." Glenn said.

"Ya know, I never thought I'd say it, but I'll kinda miss this place." Daryl said.

"Yea, I know what you mean. We've been here so long protected behind these walls... We've really let our guard down here. I know Maggie is sad to go. She's been kind of down since we came to the decision." Glenn shielded his eyes towards the early morning sun. "But we gotta do what's best for the group."

"Yep. Hell, I wanna sleep in me a real bed. I'm so tired of these damn prison beds. I ain't as young as I used to be." Daryl stretched and Glenn grinned.

"You need a woman to give you a good rub down. It works wonders." Glenn's grin got wider and Daryl knew he was thinking of Maggie.

"Ah, hell. I don't need no woman hanging all over me. This ain't nothing a good long bike ride won't fix. Speaking of bike ride, we should be headin' out. Need to get as far as we can while we got daylight." Daryl said.

Everyone had pretty much made it back to the vehicles and it looked as if they were loading up. Daryl was going to be first out because he was riding the bike. Then it was Rick's car, Tyreese, and Glenn. They wanted one guy to each vehicle just in case. Carol was busy strapping Judith into Rick's car and Carl had climbed into the passenger seat. Tyreese was getting behind the wheel of his car and Sasha claimed her place as shotgun. Michonne and Keely climbed into the backseat. In the last car, Glenn was all set. He had Maggie sitting passenger seat (_Of course)_ and Beth was currently helping Hershel into the back.

She kept stealing glances at him and the bike Daryl noticed. She had been doing that a lot lately, looking at him when she thought he didn't see. Daryl noticed. Hell, not much went on that he didn't. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't done his share of staring too but he made sure she didn't see him. Hell, she was off limits. _Jailbait._ If Hershel found out where his thoughts went sometimes, he would shoot him right where he stood. If Maggie didn't get there first. Daryl chuckled. Maggie was a spirited little thing. Glenn had his hands full. He had no idea what compelled him to open his mouth next.

"Beth!" He called. Startled, she stopped from climbing into the vehicle beside her father and began to walk towards him. At times, she seemed scared of him or somethin'. What the hell was he thinkin' anyways? He deserved to be shot the way she got his blood churning sometimes. But she was so damn cute and _innocent. _He'd never known no girl's like her where he came from. She was like a breath of fresh air.

"I seen you lookin' at my bike." He said casually. She grew red in the face and looked away. "Maggie told me it's cause you never rode on one before. Well, it's your lucky day cause I don't make this invitation much but you can ride with me if ya want. I mean, if Hershel gives the go ahead."

Beth's eyes grew large and her face lit up. It was like a sucker punch to his gut. Wow, the things that smile did to him. _Was he trying to torture himself?_ She ran back and paused at the car where Hershel, Maggie and Glenn sat watching. After a few minutes of bantering back and forth she finally gave a little jump and came running back to Daryl.

"He said it's ok since it's you. As long as I don't get in your way or get on your nerves I can ride." She said.

"Yea well. I got rules ya know. You ride with me, you do what I say when I say. Hang onto me at all times and don't be tryin' nothin' stupid or dangerous, got me?" Daryl studied her intently. She lowered her eyes and shyly nodded.

He turned to signal to the group that he was ready and got the other's signal's back. He climbed on his bike and fired it up. The bike purred to life under him and Daryl relaxed. He was at home on a motorcycle. He motioned for Beth to climb on back.

"Hurry up, we ain't got all day kid." He growled. She eagerly climbed on and he started down the path to the gate where Maggie got out to open it for everyone. As he accelerated he felt her scoot closer and wrap her arms around him, her boobs pressed against his back.

_Oh yeah, he was a glutton for punishment alright._


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Wow! You guys are awesome! Thanks for all your reviews and support so far! I felt compelled to spin out another chapter today. I'm going to do this one from Beth's POV. I want to try to give insight into both of their thoughts. There's so much potential for Beth and Daryl is, well himself as usual. I'm not entirely sure where I am going with this. I mean, I have my ideas but mostly I'm just letting the story take me where it wants to go. I know it's starting out kind of slow but I want to try to make it as realistic as possible so I hope you'll hang with me because I promise you some juicy stuff. They're just getting started so enjoy the ride! Happy reading!**

Beth didn't know exactly how long they had been riding for. No one really had a sense of time anymore. It really didn't matter what time it was, you just did things. She knew they had been riding a long time though because they hadn't passed a town in a while and her legs were getting sore. But oh, was she enjoying herself. After a while she had relaxed her muscles and leaned back a little to let the wind whip through her blonde hair. She still had a good grip on Daryl however. She liked the bunch and shift of his muscles as they twisted through the roads. _He is so muscular. I don't remember Jimmy being like that._ In fact, Jimmy had been anything but. Where Daryl was strong and intent, Jimmy had just began to develop tiny muscles and he was a little shy. She remembered how they had been sneaking to the barn to steal a kiss or two before all this happened and the world went to Hell.

She had to pee. _I wonder if anyone else has to pee. Am I the only one?_ Shifting uncomfortably, she tried to ease the pressure a little. She didn't want to be the only reason they stopped.

"You keep on squirmin' like that you gon knock us off balance kid!" Daryl yelled over his shoulder.

"I have to use the bathroom!" She reached up and said into his ear. _Was it just her or did he just shiver a little? Nah, must be the wind. _

Daryl nodded and holding up a hand, he signaled to the group that he was pulling over. They were on a relatively clean and quiet stretch of highway and there didn't appear to be any walker stragglers in sight. He pulled to the side and cut the bike off. The others followed suit. It was strangely quiet without the purr and rumble of the motors.

Daryl got off the bike and reached out a hand to Beth. She groaned as her muscles protested from the movement. Her hand, small and pale, was such a contrast to his big, tan hand. She felt an undercurrent of electricity run through them at his touch. She gasped and fell forward at the tiny shock and because her legs decided not to support her any longer.

"Shit!" Daryl cursed and made a grab for her. He caught her easily and hauled her up, supporting her weight with his own. "Ya okay kid?" He gazed at her with that intent look that was pure Daryl.

Her insides clenched and she was momentarily speechless. She could almost feel his warm breath on her face like a lover's carress. She was brought back to reality by the slamming of car doors. She hastily tried to compose herself.

"I-I'm fine." She stammered. "Just sore and stiff from the ride."

Daryl smirked. "Guess we gon' have ta' break ya in kid."

Beth blushed at his words. _Why was she blushing like a school girl? This was Daryl. It's not like she had never talked to him before. _She was acutely aware of every place his hands touched her body. Those nice muscular hands and arms, all toned from years of using the crossbow. She noticed he was still holding her and waiting for some type of reaction. _Get it together!_

"Guess so. I'm okay now. Really." She said. Slowly he released her. He stared at her for another minute and then turned to his bike to fiddle with something.

"Hey Beth!" Maggie called, walking up to her. She had Sasha, Michonne, Keely and Carol with her. "Bathroom break?" Maggie asked as they got closer.

"Yes! Sorry, I tried to hold out. I couldn't wait any longer." Beth replied.

"Well if you hadn't said anything, I would have. I am about to burst!" Maggie said. "We figured we would all go as a group and maybe a couple could keep watch while the others go and then we'll trade off."

Beth nodded. Whatever they said. She wasn't exactly known for decision making. She usually just went along with everyone else anyway. Besides, who was going to take an 18 year old blonde farmer's daughter seriously? That's where she and Maggie differed. Maggie wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She was getting better at fighting too. When she and Glenn hadn't snuck away to make out, they were practicing their fighting skills on one another. Beth envied her sister for having someone. Beth had no one and it wasn't exactly like her options were plentiful. Maggie paused by Glenn and told him their plan. They talked for a minute and then he nodded and strode to the others to do whatever it was that men do, Beth mused.

They walked a few beats until they found a little clearing of sorts that had some bushes where the girls could duck down. Michonne and Carol decided to keep watch first and positioned themselves with backs turned on either sides of the girls. They did their business fairly quick and changed places.

"Straggler."Michonne spoke in a low voice. She was just finishing up. Before anyone else could react she whipped her pants up and unsheathed her katana from her back. One swipe and the walker was minus a head.

"You put us all to shame with that thing Michonne." Carol observed. She and Maggie shared a grin.

Michonne's lips turned up slightly. It was about as far to a smile as she ever got. She was a very serious person. They all took one last minute to stretch and then together started back to the group of men. Judith was making baby noises as they grew closer.

"Must be time to eat." Carol observed.

"I'll get the formula." Beth said.

"No, it's ok. I got it. Besides I see how you're walking after being on that bike. Stretch your legs some more. I can handle it." Carol said. Giving Beth a quick smile, she started back to the car, making faces at Judith as she grew closer.

Beth could see how close Carol had become to Judith. Where once, Judith would reach for Beth, she was now reaching for Carol. That made her a little sad but relieved all the same. Taking care of a baby was a big responsibility and she just wasn't ready for that. She wasn't ready to be a "mom". Carol had birthed Sophia so she was accustomed to babies and how to take care of them. In a way, Beth figured Carol saw Sophia when she looked at Judith and maybe it helped lessen the pain sometimes of not having her.

Beth really wanted to find her place in this group. She wasn't quite sure what that place was yet but she knew it wasn't "babysitter". She wanted to do something more meaningful. Looking around her eyes locked with Daryl. _Why was he staring at her? _ He quickly looked away but not until after making eye contact. One glance from those searing blue eyes and she felt scorched.

The group was gathered in a small circle in between the cars with a few keeping an eye out for trouble. Daryl, Rick, and Glenn were going over a map trying to figure out their next move.

"I say we keep going to the next cluster of towns here." Glenn pointed. "More towns closer together means more chance for supplies nearby."

"Yea, that's a good idea but we ain't gon' make it before dark. We need to drive a little further and see if we can find some type of building for shelter. I ain't crazy bout' campin' out here in the woods like sittin' ducks." Daryl said. Glenn grinned.

"Sounds like a plan to me." Rick said.

Daryl glanced at everyone else. "What ya'll think?" He always tried to make a point to include the _whole_ group in decisions.

Everyone nodded and shuffled their feet. He could tell they were anxious to get somewhere for the night to rest and get settled in before dark.

"Let's head out then!" Daryl said. Everyone made their back to their respected cars. Maggie stopped at Beth.

"You riding with us this time Beth?" Maggie asked. Beth looked at Maggie and then looked around for Daryl. He was cranking his bike and adjusting his bow.

Her legs were killing her. If only she knew whether or not Daryl wanted her to ride with him. He hadn't seemed to mind so much once they got going earlier.

"I guess I'm just gonna keep riding with Daryl since it's not going to be much farther. Daddy might not let me ride too many more times." Beth said. Maggie glanced at Daryl who was pretending not to listen to the conversation and kept fiddling with something. He glanced at them.

"If you're comin' with me kid, better climb on. We got things to do. No time for girl talk." Daryl said.

Maggie stuck her tongue out behind his back and Beth giggled. Maggie ran back to where Glenn and Hershel were waiting. Beth walked over to Daryl's bike.

"You sure I'm not getting on your nerves riding back here?" She asked.

He smirked. "You ain't a bother. Ya think I would have offered if you was? Hell, I'm used to riders. Carol's ridden back here plenty of times."

Beth felt a slight twinge inside of her at the mention of Carol. She knew that out of the whole group, Carol had been the one to ride with Daryl most. Everyone secretly thought she had a thing for him. _So why am I jealous then?_ She shook herself off and swung her leg over the bike. She slid up and wrapped her arms tightly around his chest. She could smell the scent of walkers and a touch of a woodsy scent. She breathed in.

"Ya tryin' to choke me? We ain't goin' yet kid, I doubt ya goin' to fall off." Daryl said. She could almost feel his grin even though she couldn't see his face. _I'll show him._ _I'm not a kid. _She slid up a little more and pressed her full body against him.

She heard his sharp intake of breath. "Sweet Jesus." He muttered. He put the bike in gear and pulled off. Behind him, Beth smiled.

_Two can play at this game she thought._


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Alright guy's and girl's, I loved the reviews and feedback so much I decided to crank out another chapter! That makes two in one day, I'm really spoiling you all! Anyway, this one has more Daryl/Beth interaction so I hope you enjoy. Please keep all the reviews coming! They inspire me to write faster! Feel free to post any suggestions of what you might like to see happen, I love to read them! I'm having a more clearer idea of where I want this to go now and each chapter just seems to pour out of me! Anyways, that's enough about me, enjoy!**

For the third time in probably an hour, Daryl groaned to himself. Every move she made was rubbed against his back and made it hard to focus. _I swear, if we don't find somethin' soon I-_

Beth tapped his shoulder and pointed into the distance. There was a dirt driveway off to the side. He nodded and slowed to signal his turn. He sure hoped there was a place down that driveway they could use for shelter. It wasn't getting any lighter out. In fact, the sun was quickly sinking along with hope that they would find a place to crash.

The driveway was a little overgrown but still passable. He carefully maneuvered the bike down it all the while keeping a sharp eye out for walkers. They hadn't encountered too many in passing which made him uneasy. They crested around a sharp turn and came upon a large house with a garage of sorts attached. It looked empty enough but then again, you never knew with those dang walkers. They seemed to appear out of thin air at times, like sleepwalkers rising in their zombie induced state. Cursed to forever scavenge the earth in search of food until someone put them out of their misery. And they never seemed to starve. Hell, he had seen them so skinny they were practically bones and they still tried to give chase.

The group all pulled in to a stop behind him and slowly everyone began to get out and stretch stiff muscles. He turned off the engine and climbed off. Beth had been rather quiet so far and she looked to be contemplating something. He hated that he was concerned by the look on her face but dang it if she just wasn't getting to him. He cursed silently to himself.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked.

Startled from her thoughts, she looked at him. He could see that she had a haunted look in her eye and but damn if that didn't make him more concerned. He knelt by the bike.

"Hey. I asked you a question." He said.

"I'm okay." She whispered.

"Sure could've fooled me." He grumbled.

Beth sighed. "It just reminds me of the farm. It reminds me of _home._" She said it so softly he almost didn't hear her. He cursed himself.

"I know it's gotta be hard but ya gotta toughen up kid. It's not gonna get any easier from here on out and we don't need ya breakin' down on us." He said.

She nodded and straightened her features. "I'm fine. Let's just do what we have to do. I can handle it. I'm a big girl." She tried to smile.

_A big girl, huh? Yeah, maybe. Still so damn young though. Christ, she's going to be the death of me._ He kept quiet and instead squeezed her shoulder. She actually did manage a small smile for him then and he blew out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Slowly he released her and turned to gather the others. She climbed off the bike and followed over to where Maggie and Hershel stood. Hershel pulled her into his side for a hug and she smiled up at him adoringly. _What I wouldn't give for someone to smile at me like that. I ain't never had nobody care bout' me that way. _He shook his head then to clear his thoughts.

"Alright guys, I guess we need to go inside and see what we dealin' with. We don't have much choice but to bunk here for the night. I figure maybe 3 of us should be able to do a quick sweep." Daryl said. Some of the others nodded, clearly willing to agree with anything at this point so long as they didn't have to drive any further today.

"I'll go." Michonne said. Daryl nodded at her.

"Yeah, I'll back you up." Rick stepped forward.

"Alright then. Everyone else just get what you need for the night, nothing more. Keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Glenn, maybe you can turn the vehicles around in case we need to make a quick exit." Daryl said. The others all split up to start doing what needed to be done to prepare for the night.

Daryl led the way with his bow, followed by Michonne and her katana, with Rick leading the rear with his knife. He slowly pushed open the door and glanced around. They were in an entryway of sorts. He glanced behind him and the others nodded in silent agreement that they were behind him and ready. Proceeding further he came into the kitchen. It looked as though someone had left in a hurry. A few cabinet doors were open and papers were scattered on the counters. He didn't remember seeing any vehicles outside either. From the kitchen they traveled into the living area which they found empty and a small bathroom which was also empty. _So far, so good. Now the upstairs._

He made his way towards the stairs motioning for the other two to follow. They flanked him on either side as they cautiously crept upstairs so as to have an advantage over any walkers. There were three closed doors upstairs and a bathroom which the door was open to. Stopping at the first door they each gripped their weapons. Daryl turned the knob and it swung open. While Michonne kept an eye on the hallway, Daryl and Rick did a quick sweep of closet and bed, finding nothing amiss. The next two rooms proved the same results. Stopping at the small bathroom they heard a little shuffle. On guard, they turned their attention to the shower where a walker stepped out. It was a small boy. Daryl glanced at Rick and he knew what he was thinking: _Sophia._ _This was just like finding Sophia all over again._

The boy walker awkwardly began making a slow shuffle towards them. Daryl swore and wiped his brow on the sleeve of his shirt. _Damn it, I hate this. I can never get used to killing the kids._

"Please take your time. Why don't you just sit down and play a round of cards while we wait to be attacked? Allow me." Michonne spoke up. She moved to swipe with her katana.

Daryl's arm shot out to stop her. "No. Not like that. I'll take care of this." He said. "Go down and find the others. I'll dispose of the body when I'm done." Rick and Michonne looked at each other then at Daryl. Deciding to let him just do his thing they each backed off and made their way back down the stairs.

Daryl adjusted his crossbow until he had the boy in his sights. He pulled back and let the arrow fly. It went straight through the skull and the kid dropped and groaned one last time before laying still. He walked over and nudged it a little. Satisfied that he had killed him, he grabbed the arrow and slowly pulled it out. He looked around and found a couple towels to wrap the kid in and took him downstairs and out the back door. The others were slowly filing in as he slipped out back. He glanced around the back yard full of fields and flowers. There were only a couple trees. He wondered suddenly what the kid was doing here alone and if he had been left here to fend for himself or if he had taken up residence at a later time. He was always curious about what made them do things. He carried the body over to one of the trees and laid him down. He had never been a religious man, Hell, he never even been in a church except for that one time they were looking for Sophia. Still he felt he ought to say something.

"I'm sorry." That was what came out. He heard a snap of a limb and swung around, bow raised.

"It's just me!" Beth squeaked. She was ducking just in case he shot at her.

"Damn kid! I bout' took your damn head off! Don't you know not to go sneakin' behind somebody like that?" He raised his voice a little louder than he intended.

She cowered a little. "I'm sorry! It's just that you looked deep in thought and I didn't want to interrupt. I didn't think-" She began.

"That's the problem! You didn't think! Sometimes you have the sense of a damn block of wood!" Daryl growled. He wasn't really mad at Beth. He was thinking about his brother and how he didn't save him. They had just been starting to get close again before he died. Now Daryl had no one he could really claim.

Beth watched the emotions flit across his face. She knew he wasn't really mad at her, he was just taking out his anger on the closest person. Unfortunately, that person just happened to be her at the moment. She thought about what he had been doing and how she had heard him say he was sorry.

"You couldn't have saved him." She said suddenly. His gaze snapped up to hers.

"What you mean?" He asked.

"Merle."

He snorted. "Don't go thinkin' ya know me kid. Ya don't know anything about me." He said defensively.

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. "That's because you don't open up to anyone! You won't let anybody get close to you! We all have aches and have suffered loss but we keep going because this is all we have left! Right here, right now! This is it, this is li-" She was cut off by the press of his lips against hers. _He was fast._

Daryl knew he shouldn't have. He knew he should have marched her little behind back into that house and that would have been that. He hadn't counted on getting so turned on by watching her stand up to him like that. Her hip had cocked out and she had let loose, hair flying, gorgeous eyes blazin'. Next thing he knew, he was pressin' a kiss to her lips.

She clutched at his arms. Even though the kiss wasn't open-mouthed, she moaned a little at the gentleness of it. He snapped back at the sound of her moan. Chest heaving, she looked up at him. His eyes were on fire. He looked like he was waging a battle inside himself.

She reached up to touch his face. He stepped back quickly like he had been burned.

"Get inside before you get yourself killed! You never know what kind of monsters might be lurking." He said roughly.

_Monsters like me, _he thought as he watched her make her way inside.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Keep those reviews coming! It's like unwrapping a present every time! I did want to mention that although for the most part I try to keep everyone in character, I may make little changes here and there as I see fit for the story. I've been pleased with the results so far and I'm so eager to see where this goes! Maybe if I get some more reviews today it may motivate me to do another chapter this afternoon (hint hint)! Happy reading!**

As Beth walked back inside and watched everyone claiming spots to sleep for the night she was struck by a revelation. Watching Glenn smile down at Maggie, Tyreese hug Sasha close and Carol coo at Judith she realized something- _This was her family. These were the people who mattered most to her anymore. Where would she be without them?_ She didn't know.

Daryl slipped in unnoticed by everyone but Beth. Since the kiss, so much as it was, her body seemed tuned in to his presense. Unfortunately, she could never tell what he was thinking since he kept his emotions in check for the most part. She watched him walk over and pull in Glenn, Rick, Tyresse and some others. _They were probably discussing who was going to be on watch._ Since she was off to the side and no one was paying her any attention, she took the moment to study Daryl. He stood there with his arms crossed in front of him, booted feet planted wide in that stance that he had perfected. _So, Daryl, she mused._ He was listening intently to the conversation taking place and occasionally nodding his consent. His face was a mask, devoid of any emotion. Gone were the eyes that burned into her soul only moments before, the burning intensity that vibrated off of his body in waves as he kissed her. He was hardly the same person really.

"Beth?" Hershel had come up beside her snapping her back to reality.

"Yes, Daddy?" She said hoping her face wasn't too revealing of her thoughts. Her daddy had that uncanny ability to read people's thoughts and emotions. He was her rock through all this; keeping her grounded when she wanted to scream.

"Is everything ok? You seem bothered by something. You know you girl's can always come to me with anything and I won't judge you for it." He said.

"Of course Daddy. Everything is fine. I think I'm just tired and overwhelmed with all of the changes." She replied and hoped that he would believe it. He seemed to relax a little with that answer. Kissing her on the forehead he hobbled in search of a place to rest his one good leg.

She wandered into the kitchen to find most of the women gathered around the counter. There were piles of stuff stacked where there wasn't anything before.

"What's all this?" Beth asked coming closer.

Maggie grinned. "We hit the jackpot. Lots of canned food. Look, canned fruit!" Canned fruit was a luxury they rarely came across anymore. "And it's still in date!" She exclaimed. Beth smiled at her sister. Her enthusiasm was catching and pretty soon all the women were relaxing and chatting about what to make for dinner. They decided on an array of canned soups and a few cans of fruit to make like a fruit salad of sorts for dessert. Unfortunately it was to be cold soup because they couldn't risk a fire. They had no idea who or what might be in the area and didn't want to take any chances.

Sasha and Keely had brought in a couple of oil burning lamps from the vehicles that they lit to provide a soft light with which to eat by. Everyone crowded into the living room, not saying much, just hungrily eating. Afterwards, bellies as full as they were going to get, everyone just kind of settled into silence for a while. Beth wasn't quite ready to sleep so she started to sing:

_"Over in Killarney  
Many years ago,  
Me Mither sang a song to me  
In tones so sweet and low.  
Just a simple little ditty,  
In her good ould Irish way,  
And l'd give the world if she could sing  
That song to me this day. _

_"Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,  
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!  
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, Too-ra-loo-ra-li,  
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby." _

_Oft in dreams I wander  
To that cot again,  
I feel her arms a-huggin' me  
As when she held me then.  
And I hear her voice a -hummin'  
To me as in days of yore,  
When she used to rock me fast asleep  
Outside the cabin door."_

Daryl watched Beth sing from beneath the shadows of the room. Her voice chased at the shadows like the voice of an angel. Never in his life had he heard anything so sweet. Then again, not much about his life had been sweet. Any romance he ever had was from women who only wanted him for sex. Which usually worked just fine for him. He didn't like to get too attached. If you got attached to something, you gave someone a way to hurt you and Daryl didn't like getting hurt. He'd always tried to be as good as he knew how which wasn't sayin' much. Merle had practically raised him, protecting him countless times from their father who tended to strike at everyone when drunk, especially Daryl. Then Merle had up and left one day. Claimed he got fed up with it and needed to clear his head. Daryl still remembered how he begged Merle to let him tag along. Merle had just smirked and said he couldn't afford to feed and watch Daryl when he wasn't sure he could feed himself. Then he left. That left Daryl with no one to fend off the blows. So Daryl worked out and got stronger and pretty soon he didn't need any help. His father stopped beating on him when Daryl could beat back. _Oh yeah, _he thought, _it was no fun then, was it you bastard? _Daryl scowled into the darkness. _Snap out of it Dixon!_

Even though he was partially hidden by the shadows, Beth could still feel Daryl watching her. Even from where she sat, she sensed him fighting with himself. As she finished with the song, she glanced up and caught Maggie's eye. Maggie nodded and smiled with tears in her eyes.

"Where did you learn that Beth?" Keely asked softly.

"It's an Irish lullaby my momma used to sing when Maggie and I were little." She replied.

"It's really beautiful." Sasha spoke up and the others murmured their agreement. She blushed under their praise. She had once entertained thoughts of becoming a singer. _Lot of good it would do now. Who needs a singer in a zombie apocalypse? _

The others were now growing restless. Everyone decided it was time to turn in for the night in order to get a good start in the morning. Now they just had to decide who slept where.

Tyreese and Sasha decided to take first watch and disappeared to the entryway with a couple chairs to keep an eye out front. It was decided that Maggie and Glenn could get one room to themselves since they were technically still newlyweds. Judith and Carol took up another bed with Carl bunking on the floor. Michonne and Keely grabbed the last bed since neither minded sharing. Rick positioned himself on a pallet in the hallway outside the rooms where he could have a clear view of the stairs. That left Hershel, Beth, and Daryl. Daryl nodded at Hershel.

"Take the couch. You need the comfort more than anyone else." He said. Hershel smiled kindly and proceeded to get comfortable on the couch after giving Beth a kiss on the cheek goodnight. He rolled over and was soon snoring softyl. Beth glanced at Daryl. He was looking around like he wanted to disappear. There was one chair with an ottoman left and a rocking chair. After that, all that was left was the floor.

"You can have the chair kid, I'll probably take over watch soon anyway." Daryl jerked his head towards the chair. Beth tilted her head back and studied him quietly.

"Why do you always call me that?" She asked softly.

"What? Kid?" He asked. She nodded. "Because you are a kid I suppose. I ain't dumb. I see how you been looking at me. You even know how old I am?" He asked.

She thought he might be 30 but she wasn't sure. She had guessed at it from time to time but it was hard to tell. She _knew _ he was older, but surely he couldn't be too old judging from his quickness and hard abs she had wrapped her arms around all day. "Thirty?" She guessed.

Daryl snickered. "Try closer to 35." He replied. She was a little surprised but didn't let it register on her face.

"And?" She said nonchalantly.

"And?! You ain't but 18! That makes you a kid in my book!" Daryl whispered heatedly.

"You sure didn't think I was a kid earlier when you kissed me!" She hissed. He really knew how to stir her temper.

Daryl took a step towards her, his eyes burning with that same intensity she had seen in them earlier. She inadvertedly took a step back and found herself up against a wall. He stared down at her and started to move closer but stopped himself. He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts.

"Damn it!" He bit out softly. He began to turn away. _Hell, he'd go sleep outside or somethin'._

She grabbed his hand. "Daryl-" He stopped and whipped back to face her. No one had _ever _dared to grab him like that.

"You have no idea what you are doing here kid. Look at me. I'm a grown ass man and you- you're only a _kid._" He said hoarsely.

Well that did it. She was so tired of being called a kid. She was always given the grunt work, the unimportant jobs. Hell Carl was allowed more priveleges than she. _I have potential, damn him. Damn them all, I am a woman!_

She marched up to Daryl and grabbed his face. He was so shocked he let her pull him to her before he had any idea of her intentions. She pressed her body against him and automatically his arms circled her waist, half lifting her to fit his body. He groaned and slowly coaxed her to open her mouth and slipped his tongue inside.

_Jimmy never kissed me like this, _she thought. Daryl was stroking the inside of her mouth with his tongue and exploding her senses. All she could do was hang on and enjoy what might be her first "real" kiss and her last.

It only lasted a minute but it felt like a lifetime. Daryl pushed away from her gently, taking deep breaths. She was clearly just as affected as he could see the deep rise and fall of her chest as she filled her lungs with air. She cautiously looked up at him and he wanted to take her all over again. The look she was giving him was so open and tender that it almost knocked him on his ass. He had to do something and quick. _Why couldn't he get control?!_

He stepped back. He could tell she wanted to say something so he spoke first.

"That proves my point. If you was a woman, you would have known what you was doin.'" He said roughly and angrily.

That was the last thing she expected him to say. Hurt shown in her eyes and he quickly turned away and stalked out leaving her with her own thoughts and the sounds of Hershel still snoring in the background, oblivious to what had just occured on the other side of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: I hope you all go easy on me. This wasn't an easy chapter to write and you have no idea what kind of day I have had. BUT, I was so inspired and completely grateful for all of the positive reviews that I pushed to get this one out for you all. It's a longer chapter than I usually write and there's not much Beth/Daryl action but I needed to get some details in and this chapter was much needed in order to proceed with the story. So be nice and hang with me please! I promise more good stuff to come! P.S. As always keep the input coming, I read it all! Enjoy!**

"So what do you think Daryl?" Glenn asked for the second time that morning. It was obvious to Glenn that Daryl was preoccupied which was not like him at all. He was usually very alert to every situation.

Daryl glanced over at Glenn. It had been a rough night for him. He had relieved Sasha from watch and he and Tyreese had stepped out onto the porch trying to cool off a little in the night air. Tyreese didn't pry too much into anyone's affairs and Daryl liked that about him. They had sat in silence and even though Daryl hadn't wanted to talk, somehow the silence seemed worse because then his thoughts became dangerous. Shaking his head in an effort to refocus he glanced down at the map that was spread on the hood of the vehicle.

"Yeah, maybe. I guess we just have to drive there and see what options it gives us. Maybe we can find some place to make our own ya know?" He said.

Glenn looked at him thoughtfully. _Oh yeah, something is going on with Dixon._ He nodded and started putting the map up. Glenn usually was the most help when it came to reading maps. All those years delivering pizza had sharpened his sense of direction.

All around them the others had loaded up what little they had taken out of the vehicles the previous night. No one was really eager to start this day. It would help if they had a concrete place to go but Daryl couldn't promise them that. In this new world they lived in, promises didn't mean much when you never knew if you would live to see another day.

Beth helped her daddy climb into the vehicle and situate his crutches. He kept staring at her thoughtfully like he wanted to say something but he kept his mouth shut. Beth sighed thankfully. The last thing she wanted was to lie to her daddy or dredge up memories from how Daryl had hurt her with his words last night. She kept sneaking little glances at him. She couldn't help herself, she was drawn to him.

"You're riding with us?" Glenn asked her surprisingly. She nodded and climbed inside without offering him an explanation. He merely shrugged and did last minute vehicle checks. Everyone else was almost settled when she heard Daryl fire up his motorcycle. Glancing out her window and cursing herself all the while for doing it, her eyes briefly met his. Rick walked up to him and just as quickly his attention focused on him. She watched them converse briefly and then Rick went over to Tyreese before going back to his own vehicle. They all filed in behind Daryl, who led them down a road that no one knew what really lay ahead.

"I'm so ready to find a place. This moving around sucks." Maggie pouted from the front. Glenn glanced at her from the driver's seat.

"You know what I miss?" He said with a smile. "I miss pizza."

Maggie laughed. "I bet you thought you would never say that after all those times delivering it!" She said.

Beth watched their easy banter with a smile. Their relationship seemed so uncomplicated, their love so pure. She understood why Glenn had changed the subject because pretty soon Maggie was talking about everything she missed too and no longer focused on being sad. Beth felt herself drawn into the conversation as it continued.

"I miss long bubble baths." She giggled. "_Hot_ bubble baths." She emphasized.

"I miss sitting out on the porch with you two girls, listening to Maggie tell all her wild tales and Beth with her nose in her book. I love you two girls and you too Glenn! You are all my family now. I feel we have even grown closer as a group and I would hate to lose anyone." Hershel reflected. Maggie and Beth glanced at each other then back at Hershel who was staring reflectively out of the window.

Beth realized they must be getting close to a town because they started seeing more abandoned cars and more walkers stumbling around aimlessly.

"You know what's odd? I haven't seen many walkers like usual." Maggie observed.

Glenn nodded. "I noticed too."

"I wonder what it means?" Beth asked. No one had an answer. You wanted to be thankful that you didn't run into them as often but at the same time you knew they were there so where were they if they weren't out in the open? She didn't have time to reflect on it for long as they drove into what must be the main part of a town. She couldn't see Daryl because he was so far in front. She wondered how he had felt when she marched past him this morning without so much as a glance and got into the car with the others.

"Hey look!" Glenn said suddenly.

Everyone snapped to attention and tried to peer in the direction that Glenn was looking. They couldn't see much at first, just a fence because trees were blocking much of the view. They rolled to a stop in front of a sign that had seen better days. They could only make out "Base" at the bottom. It appeared to have been used for target practice Beth noticed.

"It's a military base." Hershel said. "There's bound to be supplies here we can use."

"Supplies? Of course there is. There's gotta be! Maybe we can stay here!" Glenn talked excitedly.

The gate was hanging on by a thread as they slowly drove inside. A few walkers were shuffling around lazily on the other side of the parking lot they pulled in. They could see some bodies laid out on the concrete parking lot as well.

"It must be bad when even the military is overrun." Maggie whispered. Glenn squeezed her hand.

The base, although somewhat small, had about 10 or so buildings on it Beth guessed. A few tanks were parked off to the side as if abandoned at the last minute. The buildings appeared to be sturdy and were of different sizes. There was a makeshift guard shack as they had come through the entrance and although the majority of it was concrete, there were places of grass as well. Most of the fence that she could see seemed sturdy enough and some parts even had the barb wire across the top like the prison had.

Beth tried to take it all in. Some of the group had gotten out and she watched Michonne and Sasha walk towards the walkers she had saw coming in and quickly take them down. Sasha favored a knife stab to the head while Michonne went for the usual swiping off of the head. _What now?_

Daryl couldn't believe the luck. Standing near the others he tried to take it all in. _This could work_.

"We could clean this place. The fence is not too bad and the gate is a little rough but nothing we can't handle." Rick said as he came up next to him. "I bet there are some weapons we could use as well."

Daryl nodded and blew out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Alright. Let's see what we can do about that gate so no more of those damn walkers come traipsing up in here like they own the place. We can split up in smaller groups and start goin' through buildings." Daryl said as he walked to where the majority were standing. Everyone nodded their consent. "Half of you can come with me and the other half can go with Rick. If we split up, we can cover more ground and maybe see if it's possible to stay here for a while. Maggie! Glenn! Do you think you two can rig that gate we came in?" Daryl called.

"We'll take care of it Daryl." Glenn looked at Maggie and she nodded. They began getting some supplies out of the vehicles.

"What about me Daryl?" Carol asked.

"I can stay here with Judith, Carol. They need all the help they can get. I'll pull the car around by Glenn and Maggie in case I need something. She's sleeping so peacefully anyway, best to let her stay that way as long as possible." Hershel spoke up.

Carol looked at Rick and he nodded. Even though Carol and Beth had primarily taken care of Judith, she still belonged to Rick and they all secretly hoped he would get closer to her one day.

"I'm going with you Dad." Carl demanded. Rick glanced at his son and slowly nodded.

"Alright." Rick replied.

The groups ended up getting split as followed: Rick, Sasha, Tyreese, Carl, and Keely. Then Daryl, Beth, Michonne, and Carol. Since Michonne pulled the weight of two people they figured Rick could have the extra person on his team.

The buildings were lined up almost across from each other, some big, some small.

"Ya wanna take the left and we'll go right? I figure we meet back here in between this building when we're done. If anyone gets lost from the group, meet back here. Everyone armed?" Daryl asked. They each held up their weapons. Nodding at each other he and Rick led their perspective groups towards the buildings.

It didn't go unnoticed by Beth that she ended up in Daryl's group. She wondered if it bothered him to have her close by considering how tense it was between them now. She had had a lot of time to reflect on the way over and she could almost forgive him for his actions. She believed in giving people a chance and she really thought that with some time she might be able to get through to him. _Maybe if I don't screw this up, he'll start seeing me as an equal instead of a kid._

Daryl wasn't sure how he felt about Beth joining his group in the search to clear the place out. He had so many emotions passing through him now that he wasn't sure he really knew anything anymore. It was a relatively warm autumn day and the others were starting to sweat a little as the sun beat down upon them. Daryl wiped his brow on his sleeve. He eyed the first building but couldn't spot any movement in the windows with the sun's glare. The sign simply read: Administration. Michonne walked up to him.

"I'll bring up the rear and we'll keep Beth and Carol in the middle since we're the more experienced. We'll cover you." She said.

Daryl glanced at her. She was always so serious. She was a damn good fighter though and he couldn't think of a better person to have his back.

"Alright. Let's do this then." He led them to the door, brought up his bow, and motioned for Beth to open the door. She looked at him with a little fear in her eyes but he didn't have time to dwell on that as she pushed it open.

It smelled like dust, blood, and walkers. After a while, everything smelled like walkers. He stepped inside and quickly glanced around. A desk sat up front with a computer monitor on top. There was a wall behind it with a glass window where you could see in and what looked like what must be offices on the other side of a small hallway. Inside the room with the glass window Daryl could see rows and rows of computers. He motioned for the others to step all the way inside. Daryl looked at Michonne and without speaking, they communicated that she had his back. He let his gaze fall briefly on Beth and she gave him a weak smile. He nodded his head at her and they all proceeded down the hallway, weapons ready.

The first office held nothing much aside from a desk, a couple of chairs, and of course, a computer. Satisfied it was empty, they proceeded further down. The next two offices proved empty as well. _Not much for decoratin' here,_ he thought. Their was a door at the end of the hallway that Daryl thought might have stairs behind it leading down. It had looked as though the place might have a basement when he was studying it from outside. The next door was locked. Daryl stepped back and with one booted foot, kicked at the lock a few times until it sprang open.

"Hot damn." He said peeking inside. The others all crowded around him to see.

Beth was shaking, she was so nervous. Normally, she was the one left behind in situations such as these. If she had to come, she was at least glad that Daryl and Michonne were with her. They were more than capable of taking care of business.

She was so engrossed at trying to see Daryl's latest discovery that she didn't hear the sounds behind her. Turning, she came face to face with a walker. A lot of walkers to be exact. She gasped and reached for her knife. _It's now or never._

Carol was the first to hear Beth's startled gasp. They had momentarily put down their guard at the excitement of seeing what was in the room. In the midst of the commotion, Beth was left behind the others and was pretty much standing in the hallway.

Carol turned. "Daryl! Michonne!" She yelled. Immediately on guard Daryl raised his bow and surveyed the situation. _Where did the damn things come from?_ He started shooting arrows at the closest ones and noticed Beth was no where in sight.

"Carol! Where's Beth?" He yelled.

"She was out in the hallway Daryl! She's alone!" Carol yelled as she stabbed a walker in the eye.

"Beth!" Daryl yelled. _If anything happened to her-_

"Daryl!" He heard her yell. Amidst the walkers he could see her backed into a corner constantly stabbing at anything she could reach. He abandoned his bow momentarily as it wasn't much use up close with so many and began stabbing them with his knife and kicking them. He glanced up again and saw her open the door to what he had assumed was the stairs and disappear inside. _Shit. If that leads to the basement she's gonna be in the dark. Alone. _With a renewed energy he started fighting harder. The herd, if you could call it that, was thinning out now and they were all gasping for breath from their exertions. It had been a long time since they had been that outnumbered. Carol and Michonne were fighting off the last of them.

"I'm going after her! She went through that door! Cover me when y'all get done!" Daryl yelled. He didn't wait to see if they heard him. He knew time was of the essence. Heart pounding, he yanked the door open and tried to peer inside. His gut clenched when his worst fears became reality. He stared at the stairs leading down into the pitch black basement with a sinking feeling.

Beth screamed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: You guys rock by the way! I absolutely love all your input! I feel like I owe you guys another chapter after the way I ended the last one. That was evil of me, lol. I backtracked a little at the beginning of this one, so that you could be with Beth as she went down those 's also a bit of back and forth as I switch views so bear with me. I hope I painted a vivid picture for you. If you're still hanging with me, I appreciate and if you're just joining, welcome! As always, reviews equal motivation! Thanks!**

"Beth!" Beth heard Daryl call her name but she couldn't really see him.

"Daryl!" She yelled back. _Where did they all come from?_

She just kept stabbing them over and over as they came at her. She swatted, pushed, and panted, trying desperately to keep them at bay. Her back bumped a door knob. _An escape!_ She summoned up her strength and pushed one of the walkers back as hard as she could. Seeing her chance, she slipped through the door, hoping the others saw her go in.

On the other side of the door, she quickly realized her mistake. For starters, there wasn't really any light coming in down here. Second, there was only one way to go from here- down. She didn't really want to think about what might lie in the darkness. This wasn't some scary movie, this was real and it was happening to her. Feeling the movements against the door and not having a way to lock it nor wanting to so that the others could find her, she decided she needed to move. She didn't want to go exploring in the dark. No, she wanted Daryl to come. She _needed_ him to save her.

_I can do this. Just stay calm. Slow and easy._ As silent as possible, she moved down the steps. Her hands slid along the cool brick wall and she tried to listen for any walkers and tried to find a place to squat at the same time. Her hands slid over something sticky and damp. _Walker blood? _Closing her eyes and fighting off a wave of nausea and hysteria she delicately slid her foot in front of her, feeling around. Her foot encountered something solid. Something that used to be _human._ She felt it stir and then it started making the raspy noises and grabbing at her. She couldn't hold back any longer.

She screamed.

Daryl stood still for a moment looking into the darkness. _Alright, Dixon. Think. _Suddenly he remembered something. Balancing his bow in one hand, he hurriedly dug through his pockets until he felt the cool metal.

His lighter.

Beth cried out and swung her knife blindly. She felt it sink in a few times but it must not have hit anywhere near the head because the walker was still holding on and snapping his jaws trying to get up. The worst part was not being able to see.

_I can't die like this. Lord, please don't let me die. I'm not ready. I don't want to go like this!_

She fell.

Daryl flicked the lighter 3 times before finally getting a steady flame. Holding the lighter out, he set the bow down on the stairs and pulled his knife back out from his boot. He could hear movements down below but he couldn't tell if it was coming from Beth or a something else. He reached the bottom of the steps when he heard a loud thump. Trying to swing the lighter in all directions at once and cursing to himself for it's inability to light up a room, he tried to remain calm.

Beth whimpered.

His strong tracking skills kicked in and he knew exactly where she was like he was hunting prey. He ran the lighter along the walls but couldn't find her standing where she made the noise and-

_Wait. Blood._ He swooped the light lower and there she was, desperately kicking and wriggling to get away from a walker who had managed to maintain it's grip on her. Running over he stabbed the walker in the head repeatedly. Not quite satisfied, he kicked the face in for good measure.

"Bastard." He spat.

He heard Beth crying softly. "Beth?"

"Daryl? Yo...you came." He swung the light over her, frantically checking for bite marks. Finally satisfied that there were no obvious marks he put the lighter down and reached for her. He had to give her a hard yank to pull her up.

She crumpled in his embrace and wept. Not quite sure how to handle the situation at this point, he awkwardly just stood there. _I never had to comfort no woman who was falling apart before. _She felt so fragile and small in his arms.

He heard the door from upstairs swing open and then Carol's voice called out. "Daryl?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Down here." Carol was silent. "She's alright." He elaborated. "We're coming up." He lifted her up into his arms. She sniffed and snuggled into his shirt. He stiffened.

Slowly so that they wouldn't fall he made his way up the stairs where Carol and Michonne were anxiously waiting. Carol's face was a mask of concern while Michonne rarely displayed any emotion but her eyes were skimming over Beth, obviously checking for bites.

"She ain't bit. Just shook up I think." Daryl said. "I'm going to stand ya up ok?" He asked Beth. He felt her small nod. He slowly set her on the ground and his eyes flew to her leg where the arm of the walker was still attached. The grubby fingers still clenched.

Casually so as not to frighten her further he kneeled down and pretended to tie his boot but instead uncurling the fingers and flinging the arm away. Carol had folded her into her arms, crooning and whispering to her. Daryl rubbed his forehead.

"What's down there? Any more we need to take care of?" Michonne pulled him to the side to ask softly.

"Nah, I think it was just the one. Bastard's turn up in the oddest places. Who knows how long it was down there, ya know?"

"I know. It must have been scary for her. She's not used to being on the front line so to speak." Michonne said.

"She ain't weak though. She gave as good as she got." Daryl explained with a little pride in his voice. He had seen all the knife wounds when he had swept the light over it.

Michonne studied him carefully. He didn't know what she was looking for but she wasn't finding it on his face because he kept his face blank. "What now? She's so shook up she's not going to be much help." She said.

"I don't know. I ain't too good with this kinda thing. I mean, she'll be ok right?" Daryl asked her.

"Yes. She just needs time to come to grips with what happened. She hasn't been hardened like the rest of us. She's been shielded too much. She needed a wake up call Daryl. She can't keep going through life like nothing bad will ever happen to her." Michonne said.

He nodded thoughtfully."We all could use some more training. Let's go back to the meetin' spot and wait on the others. It's gettin' late. They shoulda been able to get a building cleared so between all of us, we'll see what we got. First light, we hit early and sweep the rest of these bastards out. I ain't wantin' no more surprises." Daryl said. He motioned for Carol, who still had an arm around Beth, to follow. He was relieved to notice that she had mostly stopped crying and now just had a red face.

They walked back outside the building and into the courtyard in the middle. A couple of concrete benches were placed back to back and everyone but Daryl sat down to wait. Daryl couldn't sit still, his body was still coursing with adrenaline. He paced back and forth, his eyes constantly sweeping the grounds.

About twenty minutes passed before they heard the low voices of the other group. A few seconds later, Rick appeared followed by the rest of the group he had taken. They all strolled into the middle and Rick took in Beth's red face lain against Carol's shoulder.

He walked up to Daryl. "What happened?" He spoke low by Daryl's ear.

"She's alright. Got taken by surprise by some walkers is all. Ran into the basement to get away and ran into another one. It was dark. We tried to get to her as quick as possible."

"She bit?" Rick whispered.

"Nah, she ain't bit. Just shook up. Carol and Michonne says she gone be fine. What about your team?" Daryl asked.

Rick glanced at Beth again. "We cleared one building. It's the barracks. They got rows of bunk beds. Some of them don't have a mattress but I think there's enough for us to get by until we make a run. If we decide to stay here. We came back because it's getting dark soon. What you think? Move on or stay?" Rick asked Daryl.

"I guess we gather the others." Daryl said.

"I wanna know your opinion before we talk to the others. You think it's safe? I think we can make it work. Maybe not forever but at least through winter. These places usually have generators. There may be weapons, fuel, food-"

"Yea but we don't know if it's been raided before. I found some generators. They were in a locked room along with some electronic odds an' ends. We could have _power_." Daryl emphasized.

"No shit?" Rick asked. Daryl nodded. "Wonder if they got fuel?"

"Don't know. Ain't had time to check. That was right before we had that herd run in on us." Daryl said.

"Alright. Let's round up the others." Rick said.

They walked together back to the gate where Glenn and Maggie were standing in the small guard shack. Hershel was walking around by the car bouncing Judith who looked like she might be getting ready to start bawling. Carol rushed past them and began getting her bottle ready.

"Hey! So what happened? What did you find?" Glenn asked as he and Maggie walked over.

Daryl could see a pile of maybe three or four walkers stacked up right outside the gate that was now intact. "We cleared out the barracks so we have a place to bunk for the night. I found some generators and - "

Maggie interrupted and ran over to Beth who did look a little worse for wear. "What happened? I thought you would look after her!" She yelled at Daryl.

"Hey! Don't be blamin' me! I did what I could! We had a herd bust in on us. I brought er' back didn't I?" Daryl hissed.

Maggie's eyes were blazing. " She could have died!" She marched up to Daryl. Glenn put out a hand to stop her but she brushed it off. She came nose to nose with Daryl.

_Who the hell does this chick think she is?_ "Yeah, well she didn't! We all could die at anytime! This isn't a fuckin' movie, it's real life! You can't protect her forever!" Daryl yelled.

"Stop it! Both of you. I'm fine Maggie, really. It just scared me that's all. I've never been that close to dying except for when-"

"No. Don't say it. It's over. I just can't lose you Beth. You, Daddy, and Glenn are all I've got." Maggie's voice grew hoarse with tears. Glenn went to her and wrapped her in his arms gently soothing her.

"Beth's right. We all tried to save her Maggie." Carol spoke up. The others just stood around staring at them, not sure what to do.

Daryl couldn't take anymore and stalked away towards the parking lot and the other vehicles needing to get some air. _Who the hell was Maggie to come at him like that? He was the one that went down there for her. Didn't that count for something?_ Muttering to himself about sassy broads, he paced back and forth by one of the trucks wishing for the tenth time that day he had a cigarette.

"She's not really mad at you, you know. She was just lashing out. She's always been protective of me since Momma died." Beth spoke from behind him.

_How the hell did I not hear her coming?_ Daryl cursed and Beth flinched. "Stop cowering. I ain't mad at ya. You gotta toughen up ki-, uh, Beth." He said.

She tilted her head at him. "You just called me Beth." She whispered.

Daryl looked around all flustered. "Yeah, well, the last time I called ya kid, it didn't end too well."

She studied him. He was covered in a fine layer of sweat and she could see the exhaustion in his face. He probably was running off of pure adrenaline. _Poor thing._

"You're tired, you need some rest." She reached her hand up to touch his face. He twitched a little but didn't pull away this time. His face had a reddish tint. He swatted her hand away.

"Aw, I'm alright. Ain't nothin' I ain't been through before." He said. He looked at the ground and then glanced around to make sure they were still alone. She sighed and leaned against the car door. "What's eatin' you?" He asked.

She picked at the hem of her shirt a few minutes before responding.

"I did good today right? I mean, all things considering?" Beth looked up at him, tears shining in her big blue eyes.

His heart did flip flops. He coughed. _She's lookin' to me for confirmation? I'm in over my head here. What the hell Dixon? _

"Yeah, Beth. You did good. Kicked major walker ass. Maybe we should call you the 'Big Asskicker'" Daryl snickered.

And for the first time that day, they both laughed out loud.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Ok, so this just goes to show how much I love my readers! I haven't been feeling up to par today but I managed to put together something for my loyal readers. Hey something is better than nothing right? :) This is really a lighthearted chapter so I hope you enjoy it. Once again, thanks for reading and love, love, hearing your reviews!**

It had been a long time since Beth had had a good laugh. These days there wasn't too much left to laugh about. But leaning on that car next to Daryl and sharing a laugh felt so right. His whole face relaxed in that one moment and he looked years younger. She wondered briefly over how much older everyone probably seemed since this whole thing started. A zombie apocalypse really tended to age a person. She snickered. Daryl slanted his eyes at her.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing." She replied nonchalantly.

"Mhm. Like I believe that. What gives?" He bumped her arm with his a little playfully.

"I was just thinking about how we have all aged so much in this new world."

"Who you callin' old? I ain't old!" Daryl scoffed. He raised his brows at her.

"I don't know. Thirty-five is practically dead." She tried to keep a straight face at Daryl's horrified look.

"Aw, hell! You pullin' some reverse psychology on me ain't you? Tryin' to get me to admit that eighteen ain't all that young?"

"It's not!" She demanded. "Besides what does it matter? What choices do I have here Daryl? Look around, what options are there? Carl? Tyreese? Rick?" She questioned.

Daryl stood up. "Hell, nah! You talkin' crazy! You think they can give you what you need?" His voice had risen.

"I don't know. Why? Can you?" She replied softly.

He didn't answer. Instead he pushed away from the vehicle and stopped in front of her. "You best be gettin' back to the group. We don't need no more accidents. I ain't always gon' be there to rescue ya."

And with that, he walked away.

...

No one said too much at the reappearance of Daryl and Beth to the group. They hadn't been gone long but longer than normal and they drew more than a few curious stares. They all began to try and busy theirselves with supplies and food for the night. Tyreese and Glenn pulled two of their vehicles in front of the fence facing each other to help reinforce it until they could make sure it would hold. Satisfied it was as good as it could get, they all filed in together as Rick and Daryl led the way to the barracks.

Once they were all inside Daryl and Tyreese locked the door and jammed a chair under the knob.

"This should keep em' out." Daryl observed.

"Let's hope so." Tyreese said.

Inside the barracks were rows upon rows of bunk beds. As Rick had noted to Daryl earlier, some of the mattresses were indeed missing. There was a room off to the back.

"Bathroom." Rick followed Daryl's gaze. Daryl walked over to the bottom bunk in the corner and set his bow down upon it.

"Bunks?" Glenn asked in disbelief as he looked around.

"Guess ya gonna have to keep it in ya pants tonight Glenn." Daryl smirked. Glenn tossed a pillow at him and the others all muffled their laughs.

The others all spread out to claim their space talking low amongst themselves. There were plenty of bunks to accomodate everyone. Carol passed out some food amongst them and pretty soon, with exhaustion settling in, everyone grew quiet as they drifted off.

...

The next few days passed by slowly for the group. Every day they got up at the first sign of daylight and didn't turn in until the sun was setting. At the end of the day most everyone was too tired out to do more than mumble a few words here and there and pass out on their beds.

On the fifth day, they were finally done clearing out the last of the buildings. It was turning out better than expected. They had uncovered the mess hall and Carol had been thrilled to find a huge kitchen more than capable of feeding large groups. Rows and rows of tables had filled the hall, more than enough room for everyone to almost have a table to themselves if they wished. They discovered the library and the infirmary. The library took a little longer than the others to clear, it seemed to house a good bit of walkers as well as junk. Last but not least came the showers. Everyone had oohed and aahed over the possibility of a hot shower. The weapons locker had been pretty much wiped out. Only a few boxes of ammunition had remained.

Rick had been disappointed. Daryl knew that he had excpected to find an abundance of supplies. Not that they had done all bad considering. They had found a lot of food they could use, a good portion had to have been thrown out but most things were canned or freeze dried. Hershel had been a little excited at the infirmary that had been equipped with an examining table, various medical supplies and the best thing: a locked cabinet filled with various medicines. Antibiotics, pain medicine, and syringes. They hadn't found much in the way of fuel so far, only a couple of small containers. That meant they had to be choosey on when they ran the generators.

...

Daryl was outside fixing to crank up his motorcycle and ride fence lines when Keely walked up to him. He hadn't ever paid her much attention before because she just blended in with the rest of the group. Most times he forgot she was there.

As she walked towards him he wondered what she wanted. She had hardly spoken more than five sentences to him since joining the group. Her brown hair was pulled back and she appeared to be muttering to herself. _What is it with the women here lately?_ Keely wasn't too much older than Beth probably. Daryl guessed her to be in her twenties. He didn't say anything as she walked up, just sat there waiting.

"Hey." She said. He nodded his head at her in greeting. "I was just wondering if... well I mean I know you sometimes let people ride that thing and I was wondering if I could ride with you."

Daryl raised a brow. _That thing?_ He wasn't really wanting company. He much preferred to be off to himself, it made things a lot less complicated.

"Don't you have something to do? I don't like to ride people on here much." He said.

"You rode Beth." She stated.

"Yeah, yeah I did. Maybe you should see if the others need some help. I got this covered." And with that, Daryl cranked up his bike, drowning out further conversation. Strapping his bow to his back he rode down the fence line, leaving her standing there.

...

Beth observed the two from back towards the buildings. She had stepped out thinking that maybe she would try to talk to Daryl about hooking up the generator so she and a few of the others could have a hot shower. Her stomach churned as she watched them.

_I guess he prefers brunettes. Obviously she's not too young for him! _She argued with herself in her head as she stalked off, wanting to get as far away from the others as possible. She started to jog after a few minutes, feeling the burning protest as she pushed her muscles to their limit.

"Oomph!" She cried as she ran smack into a hard panel of muscle. She fell back with a cry of surprise as she looked up into the face of Daryl.

"What are you doing? You scared the crap out of me!" She cried.

"You need to pay more attention to your surroundings. You should never be caught off guard." Daryl said. "Besides, I saw you running like the devil was chasing ya and thought I would see if you was alright."

Beth snorted. "Like you care!"

His eyebrows narrowed. "Now what the hell is that s'posed to mean?"

"Why don't you go back to your little girlfriend? You two seemed cozy enough back there. She might need your help." Beth said. _Oh my God, I'm acting like the jealous girlfriend._

"_Girlfriend? _I ain't got no girlfriend and I don't want no girlfriend! I'm a loner. I don't need no female cooing all over me! That ain't how I operate." Daryl was getting mad.

"Is that the way you feel? I can leave you alone." She placed her hands on her hips and waited.

Daryl felt a surge of desire as she stood up to him. He was constantly trying to push her away but lately she began standing up to him more and more and it was turning him on.

"I'm not what you need Beth. I'm not a hearts and flowers kinda guy." He said hoarsely.

Her expression softened. "Good. Because I don't want hearts and flowers. I want _you, _Daryl. I don't know how to do this. I'm not experienced but I know how I feel and you make me feel _alive._"

Daryl groaned to himself. This was not working out the way he had intended. He had never had a real relationship in his life. It had always been a series of one night stands scattered throughout his life. That was what he was used to. _I can't give her what she needs. I can't be this hero that she thinks I am. _

Beth slowly walked towards him and his gaze narrowed on her. He wanted her so bad.

"I can't be your hero." He croaked.

"Don't need a hero Daryl. Right now I just need you to kiss me." Her voice grew brazen. The more he tried to push her away, the bolder she got. She stopped in front of him and reached up to his neck. "Please." She breathed.

"What the hell, I'm goin' to hell anyway." He muttered as his mouth descended upon hers. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around his neck. He picked her up and carried her over behind some bushes where they couldn't be seen and laid her down. They kissed and her hands traveled over his face, hair, and under his vest to his skin. He sucked in a breath.

"You sure ya haven't done this before?" He whispered. She nodded and pulled his mouth back down to hers.

He wasn't entirely sure what to do. Usually at this point he and whoever he was with were naked and would already be going at it. He struggled to hold himself back. He was pretty sure she was a virgin. _Gonna get you some, little brother? Yeah, she's a real hot number. _Merle's voice invaded his head and he pulled back startled. $Beth lay their panting, eyes half closed.

"Daryl! Hey Daryl you down there?" Rick's voice called out.

Daryl groaned and Beth stiffened. Putting a finger to his lips he motioned for her to be quiet. She nodded and he ran a hand threw his hair before standing up. Rick was halfway to them, scanning the fence line.

"Hey! There you are. I was looking all over for you. Keely told me you were riding fence but then I didn't see you on your bike." Rick tilted his head in the direction of Daryl's bike that was parked by the fence.

Daryl strode away from the bushes in case Rick tried to come closer. The last thing he needed was anyone to find out he had been a breath away from ravishing Hershel's daughter in the bushes like a horny teen.

"Yeah...I was taking a break. Needed to clear my head. Started thinkin' bout' Merle ya know. He would have liked it here." Daryl said. It wasn't _entirely _a lie. He had been thinking of Merle, just not like that and not on purpose.

"Yeah. I know that must be hard for you." Rick laid a hand on his shoulder. "I still think about Lori all the time." Rick paused and looked into the distance for a minute. "Anyway, I was gonna come ask you to help me with these generators to see if we can get them running? Everyone's been groaning about a hot shower." Rick smiled.

"Yeah, no problem. Let me just move my bike and I'll meet you in a few." Daryl told him. Rick strode off and Daryl waited until he got a good ways away before walking back to the bushes. Beth had composed herself and was lying there, staring up at the sky. He stopped by her feet.

"We can't do this Beth. You know that right? I ain't the man for you. You need someone to make it easy on ya and I ain't that guy. I got a lot of respect for Hershel. And Maggie- well you saw how she reacted that first day. She ain't said much to me since." Daryl said.

"What if daddy was fine with it?" Beth asked suddenly as she sat up.

Daryl scratched his head. "I dunno. I mean hell I ain't even sure _I'm_ fine with it."

Beth huffed. "Well don't go getting all mad when I find someone who _is_ fine with it then!" And with that, she stalked off.

Daryl shook his head. _That's the main reason I ain't never had no relationship. _

_Too much damn drama, _he thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Ok, this is my shortest chapter so far. I hope you all aren't getting bored with the interactions between the group. I feel it's very important to focus solely on their day to day so you can further understand them. As always, thoughts are appreciated! You guys crack me up sometimes and I love that you are so engrossed in the story! I hope I can live up to your expectations, lol. Enjoy!**

The next day the group all gathered in the administration building for a clean out. They had come to the decision to convert the office and basement into bedrooms. Only problem was, it wasn't going to be enough room for everyone. The offices were relatively small but were just big enough to hold a bed and maybe a small chest inside. The men were in charge of moving all of the furniture and the women were in charge of the decorating and dictating where everything would go.

They decided to store the overflow in a storage building outside. They didn't know what the building had held before but it had been empty when they had arrived. Tyreese and Glenn figured out they could dismantle the bunks to make temporary beds for the others until they could go on their first supply run. Maggie and Glenn chose one room in the administration building with the other two rooms going to Rick and Hershel. They also figured out that the basement could be converted into a makeshift apartment as well because there was a small bathroom there as well. It was decided that Carl, Judith, and Carol would reside there so that the baby would have plenty of room.

Tyreese and Sasha decided to stay in the barracks because they figured they would be taking turns at watch from the guard shack at night anyway. That left three rooms at the library. Daryl decided to take one room so that there was a male presense in every building. That left two rooms and three women.

_This should be interestin',_ Daryl thought to himself. He leaned against the wall outside of the room and watched the three women.

"I would like that one if it's ok with you two." Beth said. She pointed at one of the rooms.

"Well, guess it's between you and me." Keely said to Michonne. Keely flashed a smile at Daryl.

Beth's ears burned. She could feel her anger rising to the surface. Michonne watched Beth's expression with interest.

"If you don't mind Keely, I would rather take this one. I like having my space." Michonne spoke up.

Beth stared at her in shock. Keely shrugged her shoulders. "No big deal. You get first dibs anyway, you've been here longer. I can go bunk with Tyreese and Sasha." Keely said. She turned to leave the building, giving one last glance at Daryl before exiting.

"You owe me." Michonne said in lowered tones as she passed by Beth. Beth thought she also caught a glimpse of a smile on her face but Michonne was already walking out of the building with her katana hanging onto her shoulder like a fashion accessory. That left Beth standing out in the hall with Daryl, who was still leaning against the wall.

"Well it ain't the Hilton but I guess it will work for now." He said.

She didn't reply and instead walked right into her room and shut the door in his face. _I'm still mad at him._

_..._

Daryl chuckled to himself. _Boy, she's a sight all fired up._ Grinning, he walked outside and ran into Carol.

"How's it comin' along?" He asked.

Carol sighed and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. "It's getting there. I mean, it's going to take a while but at least we all have our own space for the most part. I think that helps."

"You gon' be alright having Judith with you all the time?"

"Well, she was mostly with me all the time before anyway so I don't see as how this is much different. Beth needs a break. She's too young to be tied down. She needs to come into her own, spread her wings." Carol said.

"Not much spreadin' to be done anymore. All about survival now."

"True but she needs to learn what she's good at besides taking care of Judith. Part of why she's treated like a kid is because Hershel never let her do anything. She was always Maggie's shadow. She needs to be her own person now." Carol wiped her brow with her shirt sleeve.

"You're a good mother. Judith is lucky to have you." Daryl said. Carol glanced up at him in surprise. Daryl didn't really give compliments but he was giving her one.

"You're a good person too you know. You should open up sometimes and let other people see that there's a lot more to Daryl than hunting and tracking. I think a good woman would do you well." She said with a smile and her eyes hit on Beth as she was walking past them. Beth smiled at Carol and avoided Daryl's gaze as she kept walking.

"Hey, there ain't nothin-" Daryl began.

"Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me. I can see how she looks at you. Even how you look at her sometimes when you think no one can see. I'm very good at reading people. You would do well to remember that." She teased.

Daryl's gaze followed after Beth. "We got those generators set up. Got one for the showers that we can connect to the kitchen. Got enough to burn some light in the other buildings even. Been a while since we had that luxury."

Carol knew he was changing the subject and she was ok with that. They obviously had some issues they had yet to work out and she thought it was cute how Beth got under his skin. "I forgot what a hot shower feels like. I think some of the newer members think I'm part african amercian." Carol smiled.

Daryl snorted and put his arm around her shoulder, walking with her to where most of the others had gathered. She was the one person he felt really at ease with. Carol was just easygoing, she had that way about her that just made you want to open up to her. _Like the mother I never had. _Except a younger version of course.

...

_Oh my God, _Beth groaned. Beth, Michonne, Maggie, and Keely, were the first to take use of the showers. There were other murmurs and moans of pleasure as they all began turning on there showers. There wasn't much separating the showers, just a tiled wall that came about chest high. The girls didn't care though. You didn't make it this far and worry about modesty.

Beth thought this was the best thing she had ever felt in her life. She closed her eyes and lathered up with one of the small bars of soap Carol had passed out. Her thoughts drifted to Daryl and she could almost imagine what it would be like to shower with him. She imagined how it would feel to have those rough hands running all over her body. She pictured his body sleek and wet, his mouth-

"Beth?" Maggie asked. Beth froze and opened her eyes. The others had all abandoned their own moans of pleasure to stare at her.

"What?" She said. Michonne coughed and looked away.

"You were getting kind of loud. You looked like you were pretty into it over there." Maggie teased. "Who ya thinkin' about?"

Beth could feel herself turning all shades of red. "Uh..."

"I know who I'm thinking about. I'm thinking about a man with a nice six pack, big hands, big feet, big-" Michonne interrupted.

"Michonne!" Maggie squealed, laughing. "I didn't know you had it in you!"

"I could go for that!" Keely chimed in.

The others all laughed and Beth was glad the attention was moved off her. _That's the second time today she's helped me. How much does she know?_ While the others cut up about their ideal men, Beth could only think about one man.

And he carried a crossbow.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Wow! Two in one day! The muse hit so I decided to gift you all another chapter because I just love you all so much! LOL, it's another short one, but a good one I think. Let me know how I did! **

Beth was sorting through books in the library when Michonne walked up to her. She didn't say anything, just sat in one of the chairs and stared at Beth. Finally Beth couldn't take it anymore.

"Alright. I give up. What is it?" She asked.

"What's going on between you and Daryl?" Michonne asked.

Beth sat down across from her with a frown. "I'm not entirely sure."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Beth had never had a lengthy discussion with Michonne. She still hadn't quite figured the other woman out. "I like Daryl. I mean _really _like him. It's just that he keeps fighting it. He says it's because I'm so much younger but I think it's something else." She blurted.

Michonne looked at her thoughtfully. "Daryl has led a complicated life. Maybe he's scared of the emotions he feels for you."

"How do you know Daryl has had a complicated life?" Beth asked.

"Not hard to see in his actions. He thinks he's closed off to everyone but most of the time he is fairly easy to read if you just know what to look for." Michonne shrugged. "I'm assuming Hershel and Maggie know nothing of this?"

Beth's eyes widened. "Absolutely not! I mean, I'm not ashamed or anything. I'm just nervous because I know I'm the baby and I don't want daddy to think I'm going to change or anything. I know Daryl appears a little rough, but deep down, I think he's a good man. As for Maggie, well Maggie is..complicated. She seems to think I am her responsibility and she's always tried to shield me from life. I don't know what to do! I mean if I talk to daddy and Maggie and they aren't happy then I guess I have to stop seeing Daryl before I even start." She said defeatedly.

"Beth." Michonne said. Beth glanced up at her. "It's time for you to stand up and make yourself known. You only get one life and you're not living it. This is it, it's all we get. If you want Daryl, you need to fight for him before others get the idea that he's available."

Beth knew she was referring to Keely. "Is that why you've been sort of helping me out?"

"Maybe. Part of me thinks you both deserve a shot if you're willing to try it and the other part thinks that if you let Keely walk all over you and take your man then you're not the woman I thought you were." Michonne smiled her half smile, squeezed Beth's hand momentarily and left her alone with her thoughts.

...

Daryl wandered over to a small group of trees and plopped underneath one with a sigh. The days were beginning to turn cooler but it was humid out. He watched the courtyard and his group pass by every so often through half open eyes.

"Hey." Carl's voice cut through to him.

"Son of a bitch!" Daryl jumped a mile.

Carl snickered. "Wow. I didn't think it was possible to scare you."

"Yea well I had my guard down. What business you got sneakin' up on a man while he's half asleep?" Daryl asked grumpily, not wanting to admit how foolish he felt for not hearing him approach.

Carl wasn't scared of Daryl's attitude. Some days his Dad's wasn't much different. It was just how it was. "Dad sent me to find you. Wanted to know if you wanted to go on a run." He stated.

Daryl thought a minute. "I guess we can call a group meeting. Can ya round everyone up?"

"Sure." Carl said and got up to start locating everyone.

Daryl knew it was time. They had gotten pretty settled this past week and although they had found a good bit, a lot of it was useless these days. They would need more food for Judith, clothes, and some more food and blankets for the winter.

...

"Thanks for coming y'all." Daryl told them when everyone but Glenn and Maggie, who were on watch had assembled. "As you all know, the days are starting to get shorter and the temp a bit cooler." Daryl stated. "That bein' said, I think we should make a run now, just to get a feel for the area and pick up a few things. Maybe we will have time for a couple more before the cold really sets in."

"Yeah, those things like to huddle in groups the colder it gets." Tyreese observed. Some of the others nodded in agreement.

"So. Any volunteers? I figure we only need a couple people. I can go and take someone with me." Daryl said.

"I'll go Daryl." Keely piped from the back.

Daryl glanced around and prayed to the Gods for a reason not to take Keely. The broad was real pushy.

"If it's ok with everyone else, I would like to go. No offense to Keely, but I feel like I have more experiece. Woodbury was kind of shielded from this kind of thing." Beth's voice rang out loud and clear.

Keely sat there with her arms crossed. "I didn't realize you had that much more experience than me." She said aloud.

The group watched this play before them not quite knowing how to take it. It was Carol who spoke up.

"She is experienced. I think we should let her. She did well when we cleaned this place out. She survived in that dark basement alone. I think she's earned it." Carol smiled at Beth. They all glanced at Daryl who was looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there at that moment.

"Be ready to leave in an hour. Bring your weapon and pack light in case we don't make it back before dark." He said.

_Which meant what? They might spend the night alone? _Beth just nodded and got up to gather her stuff. Hershel stood up and began to keep pace beside her.

"Are you sure this is the right time?" He asked worriedly. She knew he was thinking about what happened last time.

She stopped walking and faced him. "Daddy, I think we need to talk."

"What is it honey? You can tell me anything." He said.

She paused. "What do you think about Daryl? Honestly."

Hershel was silent and seemed to put in a lot of thought before answering. "He seems like he's a good man. He was a little troubled when we first met him on the farm but he's proved himself time and again. I feel like you would be safe enough with him out of anyone else here. Why do you ask? What is this about?"

"I like him daddy...a lot." Beth blurted. Hershel's eyebrows raised as he contemplated this. "Before you say anything I just want to say that I feel like I need somebody in my corner. Maggie has Glenn...I'm just-"

"You have my blessing." Hershel interrupted. "You've always had a strong head on you and I know if you've put this much thought into it, you must really want it. There is so few happiness to be found in the world. You must embrace this while you can."

Beth threw herself into her daddy's arms. He chuckled and returned her hug.

"I don't know why you were so scared to tell me. It's Maggie you should be worried about." Hershel said.

Beth laughed. "I'll handle her when we come back." With that thought, she kissed him on the cheek and left to go gather her supplies.

...

Daryl cranked up the motorcycle and stood there thinking. He didn't know about the possibility of being out all night because of how close everything was but you had to be prepared at all times in case of an emergency. He figured they would ride out a little ways and kind of circle around just to get a better feel of the area. He watched Beth bound over to him and thought about what happened with Keely and her earlier. It had been amusing to see Beth's reactions but at the same time he couldn't figure out Keely's sudden interest in him. It's not like they ever spoke. He rubbed his forehead.

"Making my damn head hurt." He muttered.

"What?" Beth asked as she approached the bike.

"Nothin'. You ready?"

"Yes. Thanks for letting me come. I promise I won't be a burden on you." Beth said as she climbed on behind him.

Daryl laughed thinking about the headache he was already getting just by thinking about the whole thing.

"What now?" Beth demanded.

"Nothin'." He said. She just sighed in frustration and wrapped her arms around his middle. They pulled up to the gate and Glenn walked over. Maggie was still standing in the guard shack, obviously stewing at the fact that Beth was going with Daryl.

"She's not happy is she?" Beth asked.

"Nope. Not at all. She refuses to come out right now. I'll work on her while you're gone though. Don't worry. Just come back safe, ok?" Glenn said.

Daryl nodded. "She's safe with me. This should be an easy one. She needs the practice anyhow."

Glenn nodded. He walked over to the gate and stabbed a couple walkers through the fence before pulling it open. Waving them through, Beth saw Maggie come out and help Glenn take down two more before looking after them. Beth gave her a small wave before they faded from sight.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: Alright guys and gals, I'm trying to get you in some more chapters because I have a busy week coming up and I may not be able to post my usual chapter a day. :( I'll do my best to get you to a point where you're not hanging off a cliff. LOL... Lovin' the reviews so far, glad to hear you all enjoyed the shower scene, I'm sure you will love this chapter as well. I may be needing to change the rating to M soon so if sexual references bother you or the language, you may want to find another story. I've started on the next chapter so maybe if I get some reviews I'll post it later! ;) **

Riding behind Daryl on his bike felt wonderful with the cool breeze blowing through her hair. She especially enjoyed the chance to snuggle up against him. They hadn't went very far at all when they began seeing shops appear. Daryl slowed the bike a little but not so much that any walkers could catch up. She saw his eyes scanning the buildings and she tried to focus on helping him but she was so mermerized with studying him.

He turned his face towards her a little. "I'm gonna keep goin' out a little farther. See what's nearby." He yelled. She nodded.

He pressed the throttle and the bike shot up to speed again. The feeling was exhilarating. They dipped and swerved down road after road and saw a few more sparsely placed shops. They saw signs with names of towns that were around ten to twenty-five miles away.

"That's good right?" Beth shouted over the noise of the engine. Daryl nodded. He did a u-turn and soon she saw that they were back where they started.

Spotting a sign for a baby boutique, she tapped his shoulder and pointed. He slowed the bike down and came to s stop in front of some buildings. There were a row of shops on both sides of the street. There weren't many walkers on the street at the moment but there were a few straggling around and one that was making it's way towards them. Daryl tipped his head at it.

"Take care of em' for me alright?" He said. She turned wide eyes towards him.

"Me?"

"Nah, the damn person next to ya. Yea you. You can do it. " He replied nonchalantly. "Unless, of course, you're too chicken?" He cocked a brow.

She got off the motorcycle and gave him a glare. Pulling her knife out of her boot she approached the walker. Daryl was standing off to the side casually looking around but she knew he was watching her. He was also close enough to jump in if needed.

"Anytime today. Lil' Asskicker'll be talkin' before we make it back with the food." He taunted.

That did it. Muttering to herself she ran the rest of the way to the walker and rammed her knife into its head. It went down in a heap. She remembered something she had seen some of the others do and without thinking stomped her boot onto it's head. Blood and flesh went splattering everywhere and onto her pants and boots.

Behind her Daryl chuckled as he tried to keep a straight face. Furious and embarassed she whipped back around to him.

"That's not funny! I've seen you do it before! You never got splattered like that!" She said.

"Of course I have. I just learned to do it different after a while. You gotta go at it at an angle. The first stomp is always tha one to watch out for." Daryl said. He demonstrated on the crumpled walker. "See?"

"Well now's a fine time to tell me! Look at my pants!" She said.

"There's a women's clothing store right here. Find ya some more." He drawled.

He strode over to the door and peered through the glass. He didn't see any walkers. That didn't mean there wasn't any though. Motioning for her to stay put a minute he entered the store and minutes later, returned with an assortment of pants bundled in his arms.

"Take yer pick." He said and pushed them into her arms.

"I'm not changing out here in the open!" Beth exclaimed.

"Fine. Change in the store. Let's go get the formula and whatever else we need for Lil' Asskicker." They entered into the next store and Daryl quickly took down two walkers near the front.

Feeling statisfied that that was all that was in there he turned to her. "Go on over there and try them on. I'll stay right here and see what I can find." He said.

...

Beth turned and walked behind some baby clothing racks. She quickly peeled off her boots and yanked off the walker splattered pants. She had felt a rush of exhiliration at killing that walker like that. _It felt good. _She found a pair that fit pretty well on the second try and had to admit she quite liked the results. They showed off the figure she had left quite nicely. She grinned to herself imagining Daryl's reaction to her in the pants. Grabbing a couple nearby outfits she swiped her boots clean as clean as she could.

Abandoning the rest of the clothes she strode to the front where Daryl was looking at the wall of formula and baby food.

"How do ya know what to get? There's so much." He exclaimed bewilderly.

Beth laughed at his confused expression. "It has the recommended age listed on the labels. See?" She pointed. He grabbed it and scanned it while she began filling her pack with different cans and jars of solid food. She was reaching for a can of carrots when Daryl's arm snaked around her and she suddenly found herself on the floor underneath him.

"What the-" She started.

"Shhh... we got company." He whispered. Her eyes grew large. She heard voices drawing closer and her heart pounded. Even though they were obviously human, you never knew who to trust so it was better to trust no one.

Daryl crouched low over her and peered out the glass window. She could hear the voices more clearly now. They sounded like they were arguing.

"What do you want me to do about it? You know he ain't gonna be happy." One voice exclaimed.

"Yea well, when is he ever? You can't satisfy him for-" Another voice.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" The first voice cut in. "That motorcycle wasn't there before!"

Beth's panicked gaze met Daryl's. His expression was blank, his brow creased in concentration.

"You imaginin' things. We would have heard it come up." The voices continued.

"You better be right. The Governor wouldn't be happy to know someone's using this area. Let's go find the others." The voices began to fade.

"The _Governor_?" Beth whispered. Her voice shook. The same Governor who had tried to kill them once before?

Daryl ducked back down and swore. "Son ofa bitch. Bastard must have a camp nearby. What are the odds that we try to get away from him and end up closer to him?" He muttered.

"What do we do?" Beth's voice quavered.

"Nothing much we can do at the moment. We just gon be stuck in here for a while. No way we can leave right now. The bike would draw too much attention and then they might follow us back to the base." Daryl said.

Beth sighed. She was suddenly becoming aware that Daryl was _still _ on top of her and she could feel his knife digging into her thigh.

"Your knife is poking me." She whispered.

"Ain't my knife." Daryl smirked.

Beth flushed scarlet. "Oh." She brought her hand up and her fingers traced his face.

His eyes closed and his breathing deepened. "Listen, I ain't no expert with this whole flirtin' thing you got goin' on. Ain't used to a woman's touch." He said.

"But you're not- I mean, you know." Beth's flush grew deeper.

"A virgin?" Daryl asked.

"Yea. I mean you had to have had women touch you before?" Beth asked shyly.

"Nah. Most of my hookups have just been about gettin' to the grand finale. I ain't good at all that touchy-feely stuff." He looked momentarily embarassed.

Beth summoned her courage. "Touch me Daryl. _Please._" Beth lifted her hips upward and heard his sharp intake of breath.

"This ain't the best time t-"

"Shh..." Beth put her finger to his lips. "I just need you to touch me. I mean we're stuck here for a while anyway right?"

Daryl's lips came crushing down to hers. Beth whimpered and returned his kiss stroke for stroke. She grabbed his hand and pushed it under her shirt. She felt like she might die if she didn't feel his hands on her. Heck, they _could_ die if they were discovered right now.

...

Daryl's hands slid up the smooth skin of her stomach until he hit her bra. He was hanging on by a thread. Slowly, he pushed her bra out of the way and his large hand covered her small breast. She began to whimper, her voice starting to rise. Quickly Daryl covered her mouth with his to drown out the cries. She tasted like warm honey and he thought he had never experienced anything so sweet in his life.

Her fingers traveled all over his chest and face. She was arching her back and trying to grind herself against him. She was almost to the point of no return. He saw the raw desire on her face and he had barely touched her. _Her first time shouldn't be on the floor of some run-down store. She's deserves better than that._

Suddenly the voices picked up outside again and they both froze. Daryl rose up enough to peek out the window and Beth hurriedly resituated her clothing.

...

There were more this time. Maybe six people, men and a couple women, standing around talking in low tones. He tried to make out what they were saying but he could only catch phrases here and there.

"- here somewhere." One voice said.

"-motorcycle." Another said.

"Spread out...area...one hour." The group began to break up into pairs and walk off.

"What is it?" Beth whispered.

"We're fucked." Daryl saw her flinch at his choice of words. "Sorry. We have to move. Need to find a back door. I think they sense someone's here and they gonna check. Which mean's we are sittin' ducks. There's six, two of em' women. I might can take them but not all at once and not while worryin' bout' you."

"I'm not leavin' unless you're with me." Beth said forcefully. She was crouched low beside him and crossed her arms for emphasis.

"Stubborn ass." Daryl half smiled. "You can't walk back alone anyhow. We gotta do this smart. If we're lucky we make it out without anyone seein'. "

"What about your motorcycle? Should we come back for it?" Beth said.

"Aw, hell no! I ain't leavin' without my motorcycle! Ain't happenin'!" Daryl said.

_This was just another check on Daryl's list of reasons to hate the Governor. _

_Oh yea, it was on now._


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Well, as promised I cranked out another for you all! Glad to hear everyone enjoyed that chapter. I promise there's more to come. Don't worry, Daryl hasn't gone soft, he's still trying to work out his issues. I think Beth is the perfect person for that. :) **

Beth followed Daryl to the back of the store to look for a back exit. There were three doors. The first two were not helpful but they hit jackpot with the third.

Motioning for Beth to stay back, Daryl eased the door open a crack and peered out. She watched his eyes dart all around, checking for threats. Seemingly satisfied, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out into a back alley.

Copying Daryl's bent walk, she followed him to the end of the building and again waited while he scanned the area. He stepped back this time instead of going forward.

"I had a feelin'. They checkin' the stores. They think somebody's here." He whispered.

Beth felt almost faint. _How are we going to make it out of here? _

...

_This would be a hell of alot simpler if I didn't have Beth with me, _Daryl thought. He saw two of them cross into a store across the street. The only advantage he and Beth had was that no one knew where they were or who they were. Scanning once more, he saw a man standing on top of a truck further down. Daryl narrowed his eyes.

"Martinez." He whispered. He could feel Beth's hands digging into his arm at the mention of one of the Governor's men.

Suddenly, she let go of him and he turned to find her ramming her knife into a walker a few feet away. It hadn't become a threat yet but she had taken the initiative to get rid of it anyway. It seemed as if fear and anger made her brave. _Interestin'._

"Alright listen. We're gonna have to hoof it back to the base. I can't take the risk of somethin' happenin' to ya. We're not that far. Few blocks, maybe. We gotta leave before it gets dark. We don't want to be anywhere out here at night." Daryl stated. "Ok?"

Beth nodded yes. Keeping low, they walked back to the other end of the alley. From this side he peered out and saw nothing threatening. Motioning for Beth to stay low and close she followed him, clutching her knife tightly. Daryl stopped before turning the corner and wrestled with a walker before stabbing it in the throat and dragging it from sight. Nothing moved on the street and he assumed the others were inside the stores, searching for them.

They crossed quickly to the other side of the street and crouched behind a car.

"You alright?" Daryl asked her.

"I'm ok." She replied. She was breathing hard and her grip on her knife had tightened.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" A voice spoke out from behind them.

_Damn it. I must be slippin', _Daryl thought. He palmed his knife and turned to face the voice.

Daryl sized him up quickly. The guy was tall, about 6'1, dirty looking, and not very muscular. He wouldn't be a problem as long as he didn't alert anyone else to their presense. The guy was leering at Beth and Daryl took the opportunity to glance around quickly and see if anyone else was coming.

Beth wasn't sure what to do but she knew Daryl must have a plan. She had to think of something to distract the guy. He was grinning at her like she was the last supper and it made her skin crawl.

"Oh thank goodness!" Beth felt herself say. "I thought we were all alone! My sister is having a baby and we need help."

Daryl listened to Beth lie as smoothly as if she did it every day. _Well, I'll be damn._

He only pondered that for a second before flashing forward and punching the guy. It took two punches to knock him out cold.

"Don't kill him!" Beth said and moved to grab his arm.

Daryl snorted. "I ain't no killer. You must be thinkin' bout Merle. I just put him to sleep for a bit. Help me drag em'."

Beth helped Daryl drag the guy and prop him against the car. They crouched down at the end and waited to make sure they saw no one else anywhere. It was eerily quiet.

"Where are they?" Beth whispered.

Daryl had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. His instinct was telling him they needed to get moving, _fast. _

Tires squealed and the truck he had seen earlier came barreling towards them. All of the people from earlier were riding on the back. Daryl pushed Beth.

"Woods!" He yelled.

They took off into the cover of the woods as the truck screeched to a halt. Beth was lagging a little and Daryl snagged her hand, tugging her along at a faster pace.

"Move!" He yelled.

"I'm trying!" Was her breathless reply.

He could hear the people shouting and crashing through the woods. Daryl tried to focus on his surroundings and get into tracker mode. They didn't have to worry about being quiet, the people were making more than enough noise to cover them. They ran past a few walkers who made an attempt to grab at them but Daryl pulled Beth along out of their grasp and kept running. He spotted a fence and realized they must be on the backside of a residential street. He jumped over and helped Beth climb over after him.

"Here!" He yelled and pulled her behind a barn.

Beth was gasping for breath. She was trying to do it quietly bur she didn't know how successful she was being. She was sweating profusely and when she looked at Daryl, she could see the frustration on his face.

She knew he was worried about her and would probably be better off without having to drag her with him right now.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

Daryl glanced at her and his features softened a bit before the look was back. He put a finger to his lips. He listened to the noises around him but couldn't hear anything. He wasn't sure what they were up against. He remembered Martinez from Woodbury and as far as he knew that might be the biggest threat. Assuming he remembered Daryl, it could get ugly.

"Come out from back there you pussy!" A deep voice yelled. He heard the click of a gun.

Beth gasped. He motioned for her to stay there. Maybe they didn't know there were two of them. She looked at him with wide frightened eyes and shook her head.

"I have to do this. I can't let em' take you. You have to warn the others. Rick can organize a group and come find me." He whispered.

Beth had tears streaming down her face. "Please. Don't. They'll kill you."

Daryl mustered a smile for her. "It takes a lot to kill a Dixon sweetheart. When they're gone. Run like hell and grab the others."

She pressed her lips to his.

"Must be a pussy like I thought. We need to come get ya? Come on out of there!" The voice growled.

With one last look at Beth and seeing her nod that she would do as he said he stepped out.

"Who you callin' a fuckin' pussy?" He called as he walked out. "I'd say your man back there sleepin' on the job beside that car's the pussy."

A guy with the group snickered. Martinez silenced him with a look. Martinez studied Daryl.

"Well lookie here! Long time no see my friend." He smirked.

"Yea I ain't your friend." Daryl spat.

"Small world. What happened to your group?" Martinez demanded.

"Dead. Walkers stampeded the place. I been on my own since." Daryl said.

Martinez cocked a brow and the others murmured to themselves. Daryl only counted 5 now so someone must have waited back at the truck. Then there was the one he knocked out. A couple of the women wore tough faces but he could see that they looked unsure. They all seemed to do whatever Martinez said without question though.

"Well then! You should come with us. We have camp set up nearby." Martinez said.

"Yea, where abouts?" Daryl asked. He sure hoped Beth was listenin'.

"About 10 miles out. We not as big as we used to be. Got ourselves a nice little setup in a hotel over there. You should come. I know the Governor would like to say hello."

"Yea well he can send me a postcard. I'm fine on my own." Daryl said.

Martinez snickered. "Wasn't askin'." He nodded at two of the men. "Take him to the truck."

Daryl let them grab him, careful to keep his gaze away from the barn where he could feel those blue eyes boring holes into his soul. This was his chance to finally get his revenge.

He would finally get to kill the Governor and avenge his brother.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: Alright everyone, this is a kind of a long one! It's going to take two parts to get through so bear with me. I promise to try to make it as good as possible! It took a lot for me to get this out today but I'm just as into it as everyone else and I was ready to see where it would take me! Loved all the great reviews for the last chapter, you guys ROCK! Enjoy!**

Beth had never felt so scared in her life. Seeing the Governor's people take Daryl away had made her sick to her stomach and she fought off a wave of nausea. _Keep it together!_

She waited until fifteen minutes had passed before going in the direction they had left. She didn't want to run into any of them. If she was captured too, the others would never find them. No one but them knew the Governor was nearby so it was up to her. There were a few walkers milling about but because she was so small, she was able to run around them easily.

She stopped at the edge of the woods. The truck was gone. She could still see Daryl's bike sitting where they had left it only hours before. It seemed like a lifetime. She began to run, pushing herself even when she wanted to stop. Her body protested but all she could think of was Daryl. The quicker they found him, the better his chances of survival. She had no idea how big the Governor's new group was but she knew what he was capable of and that pushed her to run harder.

...

Tyreese and Sasha were sitting in the small guard shack playing cards. Neither one was really enthusiastic about it; it was just something to pass the time. Tyreese was casting occasional glances out the window that faced towards the road. There were two windows; one on each side.

"Gin!" Sasha cried. Apparently she was a _little_ enthusiastic. This was the fourth time she had won.

His sister was very competitive. Their parents had always encouraged them to play sports and study hard. The sports stuck more than the studying.

It made Tyreese a little sad to think of their parents. They were good people. His Dad had worked hard every day of his life for his family and he had instilled that same sense of self into Tyreese as a teen. Their Dad had thankfully been gone a few years before all this had started. Their Mom had died only a year after and he was thankful they both passed peacefully. He always thought his Mom had died of a broken heart. His parents had always been so in love that they didn't know how to live apart.

Now, here they were in this zombie filled world, struggling to survive each day. Gone were the worries of bills, car repairs, jobs, and education. No, now you were schooled in a different way. You were schooled on how to kill zombies and how to survive.

Tyreese worried about his sister a lot. Ever since they had found out what the Governor had been up to he had been weary of being with a group. But Rick had taken them back, and now he was starting to seem normal. They were all so close here that it was like a big family. He was grateful for them.

"Ty?" Sasha spoke up. She sometimes called him that. It was a nickname from when they were kids before she had learned to say his whole name. She was looking out of the window.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "What is it? Walkers? Do you see Daryl and Beth? I didn't hear the motorcycle." He said.

"No, it's not that. I see someone. At least I _think _it's someone. It's either human or zombies have taken up running." She said.

He crossed to the window to peer out with her. _What the heck?_ He strode outside with Sasha following to get a better look.

"Oh my God, it's Beth!" Sasha finally cried. "Help me unlock the gate!"

"Wait, what if she's bit?" Tyreese asked.

"She's clearly not a walker Ty! She's running. Something's wrong! Help me!" She yelled.

They hurriedly unlocked the chains and opened the gate enough where Beth could run inside. Her chest was heaving and she was gulping in large amounts of air. Tyreese locked the gate back while Sasha put an arm around Beth.

"Beth? Are you hurt?" Sasha asked. Beth frantically shook her head no. "Where is Daryl?" Sasha whispered. She assumed the worst. Daryl was one of their best fighters. If he was gone, it would hurt their group.

Beth was shaking now and she still couldn't seem to catch her breath. "Oh Ty! She's hyperventilating! Call Hershel!" She forced Beth's head down to her knees and began speaking in soothing tones.

Tyreese grabbed the walkie talkie from his belt. It was one of their best finds yet. They only had two of them but since they ran off of batteries and had a two mile radius, they could use it as a means of communication in a time of emergency. Rick currently had the other one.

"Rick! Anyone! Pick up!" He yelled.

A few seconds later, Rick's voice came on the line. "Tyreese. What's going on?" He said.

"It's Beth. Bring Hershel and come quickly..." He paused. "She's alone."

...

Maggie heard Tyreese's voice come through Rick's walkie. They had been sitting around in administration in what was now referred to as their "common area". It was really just the area that had used to house the computers. They had removed all of those and kept a few tables and placed some chairs throughout. It was a sort of gathering place. The windows allowed them to see what was around them at all times. They even had a battery operated radio which they used to play books on tape from the library. It was their version of tv.

Maggie shot up out of her chair and Hershel struggled to his feet."Beth! Oh my God! What's happened to her?" She grabbed the walkie from Rick without thinking and yelled at Tyreese.

"Just come quick." Tyreese replied.

The others all stood up and rushed to the door and outside. In the distance, Maggie could see Sasha standing next to Beth, who was hunched over and appeared to be dry heaving.

Maggie was the first to arrive. "Beth!" She said and ran up to her sister. Her eyes scanned her up and down, checking for bites.

Other than blood, scratches, and dirt, she appeared to be fine.

"I think she's in a kind of shock." Sasha said. "She hasn't been able to get a word out since she came in."

Hershel was the last to arrive and after checking her up and down he confirmed she was going into shock. "Get her to the infirmary." He ordered.

"No! There's no time. Please forgive me Beth." Maggie said then she slapped Beth across the cheek.

Beth's moaned and her eyes focused on Maggie. "Maggie?" She croaked.

Beth felt Maggie's arms close around her. She didn't remember coming in the fence. _Did I pass out?_ She looked around in a confused state and then her mind refocused. _Daryl. The Governor. _

"No!" She blurted and pushed Maggie away. Maggie looked hurt. "We have to save Daryl! It's the Governor! He's here!"

A stunned silence passed through the group. There were expressions of disbelief and terror.

"Did you say the Governor is behind this?" Rick said quietly. His voice was laced with anger.

"Yes! I mean, I didn't see him but I saw his man- Martinez. He was there and he talked about him. They had six people and we couldn't take them so Daryl offered himself. They think the rest of us are dead! Martinez said something about a hotel they are using as a camp about ten miles out. I don't know how many more people he has. We have to help him!" Beth yelled.

Rick was pacing, an expression of anger on his face. "Let's get a group together. Michonne, Tyreese, Sasha, be prepared to leave in ten." Rick stated.

"I'm coming with you." Beth said. Rick stared at her. "I will not stay behind." She swallowed hard. "I love him." She declared.

There were murmurs of surprise throughout the group. Michonne caught her gaze and smiled at her.

"Alright, focus! Sasha you stay here then. Beth, you can come. We need you to show us where they were so we can find them as soon as possible. It's getting dark real soon." Rick said.

"Rick, I'm coming too." Glenn spoke up.

"No. We need you here. Your feelings are too strong about this. We need you to have a clear head. The rest of the group needs you." Rick replied.

"Fine. I'll stay. I would love to kill that sucker for what he did! If you change your mind, you know where I am." Glenn said angrily. Maggie hugged him.

Rick nodded. "Alright. While we are gone, I need you all to stay together. Two of you can stand guard. Make sure you are armed. The rest of you, stay together. Keep your walkies on. Be prepared for anything."

"Let's go get Daryl." Rick stated.

...

Daryl came to and peered around him. He appeared to be in a hotel room. He didn't remember getting knocked out or how he ended up tied to this chair. Something flashed by his vision and pain exploded down his face. He merely grunted, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of seeing him hurt.

"Welcome back. I hear you're in quite a predicament. No group, no one to call for help." The Governor's voice spoke from beside him. He watched him come around and sit in a chair across from him.

"Fuck you." Daryl spat.

The Governor chuckled. "How does it feel to be all alone? To know that no matter how you scream no one will come for you?" He asked.

"I'll kill you." Daryl said.

"Oh? Like I killed your brother? What a change of heart he had trying to save you all. It's too bad he didn't make it to see your fate." Daryl strained against the ropes that binded him. "He never begged me though, even down to the end he was a ruthless bastard. How I hated to lose him. He would do anything I asked. Stuff the others never would, stuff like what he did to that Asian boy."

"Son of a bitch! Ya better hope you kill me because if you don't I will make ya beg for it." Daryl spoke in low tones. He glared at the Governor.

"Seems to me you're not in much of a position to do anything." The Governor mused. He stood up. "Leave him. Let him stew a bit. We'll see how long it takes him to beg. Gather the others; I need a word." He spoke to Martinez who glanced at Daryl then nodded and they walked out, shutting the door behind them.

Daryl's head ached. _I hope Beth made it to the group._

_..._

Rick and the others had assembled their weapons quickly and Maggie and Glenn had seen them off at the gate.

Maggie had hugged Beth tightly. "Bring him back." She whispered through her tears and tried to smile. Beth hugged her back tightly and accepted that as Maggie's apology.

"We're both coming back. Don't worry Maggie. I can do this." Beth said to her. She climbed into the passenger seat next to Rick so that she could navigate.

It didn't take them long to find the place where she and Daryl had been only hours before. His bike was still resting in the same spot he had left it.

"After this, I'm not sure where to go. He said a hotel about ten miles away so I guess we just pick a direction and go for it?" She asked.

Rick thought for a few minutes.

"I've got an idea. Wait here." Michonne spoke up. She hopped out and ran down to a building.

Disappearing inside for a minute, they watched anxiously for her return. In what felt like hours but was really no more than a minute she came striding back to them. She had pamphlets in her hand. She climbed in and handed them to Rick.

"Here. That's all the hotels in the area." She said.

"How did you-" Rick began.

"Real estate office. They usually have that kind of stuff inside." She replied.

Rick spread out the brochures. There were four hotels in the area.

"Maybe we can tell by the pictures where they went. They probably want something that looks secure and not too small." Tyreese added. He and Michonne were peering over the seat to help look.

"What about that one?" Beth pointed at a Holiday Inn. "It's got a fenced area in the back and it's three stories. It's eight miles away too!"

Rick took the brochure and looked it over. After a minute he nodded. "Let's do it." He said.

...

It only took them a few minutes to find it. Rick stopped the truck a good block away and cut the engine. He looked through the binoculars and could see a man sitting on the roof that stuck out over the porch where you dropped off your luggage. He was looking down and didn't appear to be paying any attention to anything around him although he was armed.

"Shit. He's sleeping." Rick half laughed. "Some security."

"The Governor thinks we are all dead. He's not concerned about much security." Michonne added.

They quickly decided the best route of action was to split up. Tyreese and Beth were to drive the truck past at a high speed and make lots of noise to draw out the Governor's group. Michonne and Rick were then to sneak into the back and find Daryl. Tyreese and Beth were to circle around and hopefully lead the others on a wild goose chase and Michonne and Rick were to take

Daryl back to where they were now parked and wait for them to circle back.

"It could work." Tyreese said. "He won't be expecting it."

"I hope so. It's all we got right now." Rick said. "You ready?" He asked Michonne.

Michonne nodded. She was always ready.

"Wait for us to get up there by the corner. I'll signal and then take off. Swerve and spin tires. Whatever gets them out." Rick said and then they took off.

As soon as they reached the corner Rick looked back at Tyreese and raised his hand. He looked at Beth.

"You might want to buckle up." He said. She buckled quickly and he cranked the engine, revving it as loud as it would go.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Let's do it." She replied.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: ****Alright, so I did a boo boo. If any of you just received the alert and tried to read the chapter and wondered why it wasn't there, I'm sorry. If you somehow did read it in the five minutes I had it up, please don't judge me on that. LOL I somehow saved the first part in another file and forgot to attach it to this one. So you would have been _really_ confused. I'm happy to say that it should be right now and the good part about my screw up is that you now have even more Daryl to read! Yay! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy it. **If foul language bothers you, you may want to discontinue reading. This has quite a bit. I feel it's necessary for to keep in character. :)**

Daryl came to and peered around him. He appeared to be in a hotel room. He didn't remember getting knocked out or how he ended up tied to this chair. Something flashed by his vision and pain exploded down his face. He merely grunted, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of seeing him hurt.

"Welcome back. I hear you're in quite a predicament. No group, no one to call for help." The Governor's voice spoke from beside him. He watched him come around and sit in a chair across from him.

"Fuck you." Daryl spat.

The Governor chuckled. "How does it feel to be all alone? To know that no matter how you scream no one will come for you?" He asked.

"I'll kill you." Daryl said.

"Oh? Like I killed your brother? What a change of heart he had trying to save you all. It's too bad he didn't make it to see your fate." Daryl strained against the ropes that binded him. "He never begged me though, even down to the end he was a ruthless bastard. How I hated to lose him. He would do anything I asked. Stuff the others never would, stuff like what he did to that Asian boy."

"Son of a bitch! Ya better hope you kill me because if you don't I will make ya beg for it." Daryl spoke in low tones. He glared at the Governor.

"Seems to me you're not in much of a position to do anything." The Governor mused. He stood up. "Leave him. Let him stew a bit. We'll see how long it takes him to beg. Gather the others; I need a word." He spoke to Martinez who glanced at Daryl then nodded and they walked out, shutting the door behind them.

Daryl's head ached. _I hope Beth made it to the group._

...

Rick and the others had assembled their weapons quickly and Maggie and Glenn had seen them off at the gate.

Maggie had hugged Beth tightly. "Bring him back." She whispered through her tears and tried to smile. Beth hugged her back tightly and accepted that as Maggie's apology.

"We're both coming back. Don't worry Maggie. I can do this." Beth said to her. She climbed into the passenger seat next to Rick so that she could navigate.

It didn't take them long to find the place where she and Daryl had been only hours before. His bike was still resting in the same spot he had left it.

"After this, I'm not sure where to go. He said a hotel about ten miles away so I guess we just pick a direction and go for it?" She asked.

Rick thought for a few minutes.

"I've got an idea. Wait here." Michonne spoke up. She hopped out and ran down to a building.

Disappearing inside for a minute, they watched anxiously for her return. In what felt like hours but was really no more than a minute she came striding back to them. She had pamphlets in her hand. She climbed in and handed them to Rick.

"Here. That's all the hotels in the area." She said.

"How did you-" Rick began.

"Real estate office. They usually have that kind of stuff inside." She replied.

Rick spread out the brochures. There were four hotels in the area.

"Maybe we can tell by the pictures where they went. They probably want something that looks secure and not too small." Tyreese added. He and Michonne were peering over the seat to help look.

"What about that one?" Beth pointed at a Holiday Inn. "It's got a fenced area in the back and it's three stories. It's eight miles away too!"

Rick took the brochure and looked it over. After a minute he nodded.

"Let's do it." He said.

...

It only took them a few minutes to find it. Rick stopped the truck a good block away and cut the engine. He looked through the binoculars and could see a man sitting on the roof that stuck out over the porch where you dropped off your luggage. He was looking down and didn't appear to be paying any attention to anything around him although he was armed.

"Shit. He's sleeping." Rick half laughed. "Some security."

"The Governor thinks we are all dead. He's not concerned about much security." Michonne added.

They quickly decided the best route of action was to split up. Tyreese and Beth were to drive the truck past at a high speed and make lots of noise to draw out the Governor's group. Michonne and Rick were then to sneak into the back and find Daryl. Tyreese and Beth were to circle around and hopefully lead the others on a wild goose chase and Michonne and Rick were to take

Daryl back to where they were now parked and wait for them to circle back.

"It could work." Tyreese said. "He won't be expecting it."

"I hope so. It's all we got right now." Rick said. "You ready?" He asked Michonne.

Michonne nodded. She was always ready.

"Wait for us to get up there by the corner. I'll signal and then take off. Swerve and spin tires. Whatever gets them out." Rick said and then they took off.

As soon as they reached the corner Rick looked back at Tyreese and raised his hand. He looked at Beth.

"You might want to buckle up." He said. She buckled quickly and he cranked the engine, revving it as loud as it would go.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Let's do it." She replied.

...

Daryl groaned and shook his head. _What the hell was all that noise? _He focused on the room and he could hear yelling and running down the hallway. From outside, he heard gun shots and the sounds of a car. Then it dawned on him. Daryl smiled to himself.

The "Big Asskicker" had come through for him.

…..

Rick and Michonne had to jump the fence to reach the back door of the hotel and thankfully they didn't see anyone. He walked up to the door and softly tried the knob. Michonne tightened her grip on the katana and nodded for Rick to open the door. Counting to three, he flung it open and covered her. No one was there. Weapons still raised, they proceeded down the hallway.

A boy came barreling towards them so fast he ran straight into Rick. Rick pushed him down and they raised their weapons.

The boy, who was more of a teenager, raised his arms in front of his face. "Don't shoot! I had nothing to do with it! They won't let me leave! Please!" He cried.

Rick and Michonne shared a look. The boy had a terrified expression on his face.

"Get out of here then! Run and don't come back! If you tell anyone you saw us-" Rick snarled.

"No, no! Absolutely not! I know nothing! Thank you!" The boy stammered and disappeared out the back.

Michonne cocked a brow.

"He was only a few years older than Carl. A _kid._" Rick explained.

"Didn't say a thing." She replied.

They continued on down the hallway not seeing anyone. The shouts continued from outside. "We gotta make this quick." Rick said. "Daryl!" He yelled.

They walked up a stairwell and they paused, listening for any noise.

"Daryl!" Michonne called.

They heard a thump then a curse. "Dammit!" Daryl's voice rang out.

Michonne's expression was amused when she looked at Rick. "Guess we found him." She said.

They hurried down the hallway. "Daryl! Make some more noise so we can find you!" Rick yelled.

"Hurry the hell up! This thing is killin' me!" Daryl snapped.

They both went down the hall and started flinging open doors.

"Found him." Michonne said.

…

Daryl had turned the chair over and now he was struggling to free his wrists. Somehow he had managed to free one of his hands. He figured he might have lost some skin on that one. _Bastards tried to cut off my circulation. _

He glanced at the door to see Michonne and Rick enter. They quickly took in the situation and Daryl's state. He was sure he looked pretty awful. Hell, he _felt _awful.

Michonne went to work on the knots. Sighing frustratedly she stopped.

"Keep still." She ordered.

He barely had time to think about that before he heard the wisp of the katana cutting through the air. Next thing he knew, his hand and feet were free. Rick helped him to stand up. Daryl could feel his legs quaking as the blood began to return to his body.

"Well, well, it's a family reunion!" The Governor's voice boomed out. He entered behind Martinez who had his gun trained on them.

Rick was torn between trying to hold up Daryl and reach for his weapon when Daryl passed out.

Rick cursed to himself. He exchanged glances with Michonne.

"You had no right to take our man. You killed some of our people!" Rick said.

"Now hold on there. I killed them to protect our group. You destroyed my whole _community. _You're comparing that to a couple lives?" The Governor replied.

Daryl had now slumped to the floor and appeared to be out cold. "You're ruthless. What lies have you told these people here? You're keeping them prisoner?" Rick asked.

The Governor's eyes flickered surprise momentarily then narrowed back and forth between Michonne and Rick. Michonne's gaze never wavered from the Governor's face. Rick knew she was also watching out for Martinez at the same time. She had no expression whatsoever. Just a cold mask.

Michonne's gaze flashed to Daryl for a brief second and she saw his eyes open, cold and angry. His gaze flicked to his crossbow and back to her, conveying a message. _Fool was pretending the whole time, _she thought.

"What about you? Michonne, isn't it? Did you know that your great leader here was prepared to give you up to spare his life?" The Governor asked.

"Yes Philip, I did know that. As you can see, he didn't. Tell me something though, how does it feel to be all alone? How do you think your daughter would feel if she could see her daddy now?" Michonne asked quietly.

The Governor's eyes flashed sparks of anger. He was fighting to control his temper. Michonne's katana whisked through the air and knocked the gun from Martinez's hand. She pinned him to the wall with the tip pressing into his belly.

Just as quickly, Daryl was up and across the room. He picked up his crossbow and trained it on the Governor. Rick went to lunge for him but Daryl's voice stopped him.

"No. He's mine. I have unfinished business." Daryl's voice was low and clipped.

Rick's gaze jerked over to Daryl, surprised. It took him a moment but he nodded and stepped aside.

Daryl began to smile, a cold smile that they had never seen. Daryl flicked his gaze to the Governor's knife. "You think that things really going to help ya?" He asked coldly.

"Someone will come for me. My people-" He began.

"Your _people _are probably dead. If they aren't, why would they risk their life for yours?" Daryl asked. He could see the Governor swallow.

Everyone was still. Martinez was still trapped by Michonne and Rick was casting glances between the two, ready to jump in if needed.

"I been waiting for this moment. I ain't no killer but I'm gonna get my revenge for my brother. He was a good man." Daryl said.

Philip scoffed. "He was a killer! I trained him well." He said.

"The hell you say! Nah, you might have trained him but he was still good deep down where it matters." Daryl said. "Say it. Say Merle was a good man."

"That's ridiculous." Philip said.

Daryl marched up to him until he had his crossbow against his heart. "I said….Say it." Daryl hissed.

"Fine, fine. He was a good man. Listen, I'm sure we can settle this some other way. Why don't we leave town and we'll just stay on our side of the map and you and your group can stay on yours." The Governor bargained.

Daryl laughed. "I don't think so. You see, you got lots of things workin' against you right now." He ticked them off on his fingers as he went. "You killed my brother, you're an asshole, you made me leave my bike, you're an asshole, and last but not least; you threatened my family. Get down on your knees."

The Governor slowly dropped down onto his knees. "You won't kill me. You aren't like your brother." He scoffed.

"There's where you're wrong." Daryl said and pulled the trigger. The arrow shot straight through to the heart knocking him backwards.

Martinez began to plead. "Please. The others and I will leave. I don't want to die. I don't want to be one of _them_." He whispered.

Michonne looked at Rick who then looked at Daryl. Daryl shrugged. "There's been enough killin'. Just let him go." He said softly.

"Consider this your warning of what will happen if you return. No questions asked." Michonne said quietly.

Martinez mumbled a thanks and ran out of the door.

Rick turned to Daryl. "Daryl, I-"

"Wait." Daryl interrupted. He was still looking at the Governor.

The Governor began to twitch and his eyes popped open. He began to sit up.

"This one's for you Merle." Daryl said and jammed his knife into the Governor's head.

"Bastard."


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: Sorry about the confusion on the last chapter. I got myself a little mixed up and might have repeated some things at the beginning of the chapter. I hope everyone was still able to figure it out. Sorry I didn't get a chapter out yesterday. I had it written but my laptop decided to have problems so I couldn't post the new chapter. I'm happy to say I believe those problems have been resolved so we should be able to continue on at our normal pace for now. As an apology, I am gifting you all with two chapters this morning. I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them! Please forgive any errors as it's early and the coffee hasn't kicked in quite yet! :)**

By the time they made it down and out of the hotel Beth was frantic. She wanted to get out of the truck to get a closer look but Tyreese said they should stay put. She was tapping her fingers on the arm rest when they appeared. She saw Michonne, Rick, and... _Daryl. Oh, thank heavens._

She rushed out of the truck and noticed immediately that he was limping along at a slow pace. She rushed up to him without thinking and grabbed his face for a kiss. Shocked, he stood there and then pulled back to look at her.

"What are you doin' here?" He asked.

"I came to rescue you. " She explained.

"You risked your life for _me_?" He asked softly.

She nodded. "Didn't you hear all the commotion outside? That was Tyreese and I. What happened in there? How badly are you hurt?" She asked worriedly.

"It don't matter. I killed em'." He announced.

"Killed who?" Beth asked.

"The Gov'nor. We won't have to worry about him anymore." Daryl said and then winced in pain. Once the adrenaline was gone from his system, he had began to feel every ache and pain.

Tyreese and Rick helped him get into the truck. They started back in the direction they had come, driving in silence.

"Stop." Daryl said about ten minutes later. Rick glanced at him but then stopped. " I ain't going back without my bike."

Rick stared at him. "Daryl we can come ba-"

"No Rick. It stays, I stay. That bike's been the only constant in my life lately." He said.

"Alright." Rick sighed. " Tyreese will you help me load it?"

Together they were able to hoist the bike enough to load it onto the back of the truck. As they were shutting the tailgate and walking around to get in, the boy Rick and Michonne had seen earlier came running out.

"Hey!" The boy shouted. Tyreese drew his knife.

"Wait." Rick said. "Michonne and I ran into him earlier. Let's see what he wants."

The boy stopped a few feet in front of them. "Please. I don't have anywhere to go. Please don't judge me by those people back there. I'm not like them. They picked me up a few days ago offering me shelter but that Governor guy is crazy and they wouldn't let me leave! My friend and girlfriend were bit by walkers so I had no where else to go. I'm alone out here! Please, do you have a camp? I'll work hard; I can do anything." He pleaded.

Rick and Tyreese shared a look. It was Daryl that spoke up.

"Rick." He called. Rick walked over to him. "We can't leave him. He's still just a boy."

"I'm with Daryl." Beth laid a hand on his shoulder and he turned to her in surprise.

"Tyreese? Michonne? You're good judges of character. What do you think?" Rick asked.

Michonne glanced at the boy. He couldn't have been more than seventeen or eighteen and he kept looking around nervously.

"He's either being honest or he's a good actor. His body language suggests he would be a bad liar so I think he seems safe enough." Michonne offered.

"I agree. We could use another set of hands this winter. Especially now that Daryl is injured." Tyreese added.

"Hey! I ain't injured! Much." Daryl said.

Rick walked back over to the boy. "Alright. We'll give this a trial period. You get one week. You prove yourself in that time, you can stay."

"Really? Thank you so much. All of you. You won't be sorry." he said.

"You got a name kid?" Rick asked.

"Will." The boy replied.

"Well, then. Welcome to the group Will. You can hop on back." Rick said.

...

When they pulled up at the gates, it was well past dark. Maggie and Glenn must have radioed the others as soon as they saw the headlights because everyone was making there way over.

Tyreese and Rick jumped out to help Daryl while Maggie and Hershel pulled Beth into a group hug.

"You made it back. Here you look like you could use a hug too." Carol told Michonne.

She walked right up to her and pulled her into an embrace. Michonne awkwardly patted Carol's back. Sasha was hugging her brother. Everyone was relieved to see there group back together.

"Hershel!" Rick called. Hershel hobbled over.

"We need to get him to the infirmary." Rick said, nodding to Daryl.

"Who is that?" Glenn asked as he walked up to them. He glanced at Will.

"His name is Will. We're giving him shelter and a week trial period." Rick replied. "He seems eager to help so let's use him if we need to. First sign of trouble and he's out."

Tyreese walked over. "Sasha and I can take up watch for Glenn and Maggie."

"You need your rest. You're probably exhausted." Glenn said.

"I'm fine. I would like this time to talk with my sister anyway. I wouldn't be able to sleep." Tyreese said. He and Sasha walked away talking amongst themselves.

Rick put Daryl's arm across his shoulders and Glenn moved to grab the other side. Daryl was turning a sickly pale.

...

They finally got him into the infirmary on the cot that Hershel had fixed. Everyone left except for Carol, Beth, and of course, Hershel.

"Can I be of any assistance?" Carol asked Hershel.

Hershel smiled at her. "His injuries don't appear to be too crucial at the moment. Beth should be fine if she wants to help an old man out."

Carol smiled and touched Beth's arm. Her gaze shifted to Daryl and she gave him a nod and went out with the others. It was late and everyone would need their rest.

"Want to tell me about it while I wash this blood off?" Hershel asked Beth.

He could see Daryl's eyes half open and he knew he wouldn't last long before succumbing to his exhaustion.

...

Daryl listened as best he could to Beth retell the story. The pain was getting stronger and the car ride back had nearly did him in. He tried to focus on her face with all her innocence.

She had become so much stronger over the last couple of days, she was hardly the shy, timid, Beth of before. She was coming into her own.

Hershel helped him sit up a little and gave him a couple of pain pills to swallow. "There, that should help you rest. I need to get these clothes off and check for serious inuries." He said.

Daryl nodded. His eyes flicked to Beth. She suddenly looked unsure of herself. _Aw, what the hell? She can kiss me like before, she can see me naked. _If he wasn't in so much pain, he might actually find it amusing.

As Hershel began removing Daryl's tattered and bloodstained clothing, Beth's face got redder. She was almost scarlet by the time Hershel got to Daryl's boxer briefs. Hershel stopped short of removing those and asked Beth to retrieve a blanket from the small supply closet in the corner. He proceeded to cover Daryl's bottom half with the blanket and then remove the briefs.

...

Even though Daryl was covered, Beth's imagination was working overtime on what that blanket hid. She drank in the sight of his bare chest; all his battle wounds and small sprinkling of hair making her flush all over.

She noticed he was going in and out; most likely from the pain meds.

"So did Maggie say anything?" Beth asked Hershel.

"About?" Hershel was checking Daryl's pulse.

"You _know. _ About what we talked about before I left." She said.

"Ah, yes. Your declaration of love?" He teased.

"Daddy, shhh!" Beth whispered. She looked at Daryl to see if he was listening but his eyes were closed. "I'm kind of shocked that you are okay with it."

Hershel paused to look at her for a moment. "I've been noticing a change between you two for some time now. I've had time to do a lot of thinking on it and I think Daryl has proven himself a good man who is able to take care of you. You'll always be my baby and I suppose there comes a time in every father's life when he must let his daughter live her own life. I've always wanted what was best for you girls. I just never imagined a world such as this." He said sadly.

Beth studied her daddy for a few minutes then she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"He's a good man, you'll see." She said.

...

_Declaration of love?_ Daryl might have been going in and out but he most definitely heard that. _She loves me?_ He couldn't quite wrap his head aound that. He had never had anyone tell him they loved him before. Before he could ponder that thought too much, Hershel pressed down on his ribs and began to feel around.

Daryl hissed in a breath and passed out.

...

Beth watched her daddy finish checking Daryl. She really hoped he hadn't heard the last part of their conversation. She wasn't quite sure when to tell him but she didn't want it to happen like this. She would wait until he was better and then she would make him listen.

"It appears to be just some bruised ribs, a few scratches, and a nasty cut on his hand." Hershel said as he finished bandaging him up.

"Give him two more of these when he wakes up along with this antibiotic. He'll need to take shallow breaths for a while. Holding a pillow across his chest while he coughs or breathes deeply may help lessen the pain. It will probably be a good three weeks before he's back to his old self." Hershel said. He began to walk towards the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Beth asked.

"I'm going to sleep. You've staked your claim. He's your patient now. Good luck." Hershel chuckled and closed the door behind him. Beth walked over to the cot to stand beside Daryl who was now snoring softly. She plopped onto a chair and propped up her feet.

It was going to be a _long _night, she mused.

...

Beth awoke to the sounds of Daryl's moans. Startled from her sleep on the chair in the corner, she sat up. Daryl was definitely moaning. She got up and walked slowly over to the cot. He thrashed his head from side to side as if something in his dreams were chasing him.

She gently shook his shoulder. "Daryl." She whispered.

His hand shot up and gripped her wrist. She gasped. His grip relaxed as his eyes focused on her.

"You shouldn't do that." He said.

"You were moaning and you looked like you were having a bad dream." Beth said.

"Ain't nothin'. Go back to sleep. Don't need you watchin' over me." He grumbled and turned his head away.

_So this was how it was going to be, huh? He thought he was going to push her away? Well, she would just see about that!_

...

The next morning Daryl woke to sun shining into the window. He glanced around and found the room empty. Slightly disappointed he tried to sit up and cursed as a searing pain shot up his chest. He fell back with a thud onto the cot. He wasn't used to being helpless.

The door opened and Hershel walked in. "Well, good morning. How are you feeling this morning?" He asked.

"I'm in pain." Daryl simply stated.

"Yes, you've got some bruising on your ribs. Your hand is pretty torn up too but I don't think it's bad enough to scar. " Hershel told him.

"Beth?" Daryl asked.

"Oh she's gone to get some breakfast for you. She's been here all night you know." Hershel added.

Daryl didn't say anything. He wasn't sure where this conversation was headed. Hershel finished changing his bandages and gave him some more medicine. He propped on the edge of the cot.

"May I ask you a question?" He asked Daryl.

Daryl shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess." He mumbled.

"What are your feelings for Beth?"

Daryl was taken aback. His _feelings _for her? "She's a great girl." He said.

"Yes, she is. But I think you know what I am referring to." Hershel said.

"I ain't sure. I ain't much for relationships."

"Relationships aren't easy. Do you know the depth of feelings Beth has developed for you?" He inquired.

Daryl swallowed. "So I didn't dream it. She did say she loved me?" He croaked.

Hershel nodded. "I know she wants to be the one to tell you. But I want to know that you aren't going to hurt her. She's very fragile right now and these feelings for you are still somewhat new to her. She hasn't been around lots of men. She was seeing Jimmy before all this happened."

Daryl winced. _How must he look compared to Jimmy?_

"I know this is an uncomfortable topic and I don't want you to answer me right now. I'm just looking out for my daughter's best interests. She will wait for you to recover before she comes to you." Hershel looked at the wall. "You see Daryl, I'm not going to live forever. I'm a one legged man in a world full of flesh eating monsters. I would like to rest in peace knowing that there's someone here to take care of Beth like there is for Maggie."

Hershel stood up as Beth opened the door. She took in her daddy's facial expression and Daryl's brows that were creased in concentration.

"What's going on?" Beth asked suspiciously.

"I was just discussing Daryl's injuries with him. I think he may be ready for some food now. Go slowly and make sure he gets plenty of fluid." With a last glance at Daryl, Hershel left the room.

...

Beth set the tray down on a small table. It didn't contain much, just some oatmeal and dried fruit. She looked at Daryl and saw that he was looking up at the ceiling, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

"Would you like something to eat?" Beth asked.

"I ain't real hungry." He responded gruffly.

"Oh. Well I can just go and come back later..." Beth trailed off. She began to head for the door.

"Wait." Daryl spoke. "C'mere."

She turned and looked at him. In the light, his injuries were more raw and it was apparent he had suffered quite a few. He read her thoughts.

"Ain't nothin' I ain't had before at one time or another." He said and she blushed that he had read her thoughts. He patted the cot. "Sit."

She perched on the very edge and looked around. _Why am I so nervous around him? It's just Daryl. _

"You did good." He mumbled. "I was real proud."

She turned startled eyes to him. "You really think so?" She whispered. He nodded.

"Daryl... I-" Beth began.

"Don't go declarin' anything. I can't make you no promises." He said. Her lip trembled and she nodded. He sighed and he briefly felt the pain. "There's things you need to understand."

"You don't have to explain anything. I get it. The whole age difference." She said.

"No, that ain't it. Yeah, it bothers me a little but in this world, we age different so it don't matter like it used to." He swallowed. "I know you have feelin's for me."

Beth's eyes widened. "Did Daddy te-"

"No, " He lied. "I can see it in your eyes. The thing is I ain't ever had anyone care for me like you. There's been women but as far as relationships go, I'm as much of a virgin as you are."

Her blush grew deeper. "But Daryl I-"

"Let me finish." He cut in. "Need to get this out fore' I chicken out. Me and Merle...we've always been the only family each other had. Our mom and pops they didn't care much about us. We been loners since the day we was born. I guess that's why Merle was the way he was ya know? So cold, so sarcastic. He tried to hurt the world before it could hurt him. We always been on the outside lookin' in our whole life. I guess what I'm tryin' to say is, I just don't know if I can be what you need me to be." He finished.


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: I quite enjoyed the writing of this chapter and am very pleased with how it turned out. Loving all those reviews! As usual, if you like it/hate it, be sure to leave me a review and let me know! Thanks to all of you who review, follow, or favorite! **

It had been one week since Daryl had gotten injured. _One week I been stuck in this hole, _he thought. He was getting grumpy.

Hershel hadn't cleared him for any outside activity yet. He was only allowed to walk around the infirmary and to the bathroom. He was slowly starting to go insane. Daryl wasn't an indoor person, never had been, so this was a stretch for him. The others had visited him for the first few days, helping to keep him company.

Carol had read to him some and entertained him with some stories of her life before all this had happened. Tyreese and Sasha had also come to see him. Tyreese had told him all about their plan to distract the Governor and how easy it had been to get that group to come out. They had all seemed scared, Tyreese had said, and most of them had run away while they had the chance. No one had wanted to willingly follow the Governor this time. Daryl had chuckled at the picture of Tyreese and Beth driving like maniacs up and down the streets.

Glenn and Maggie had come to visit him next. Glenn mainly talked about the new guy Will and how good he was doing. He seemed to be fitting in well and Carl had taken up to following him around like a little brother which Rick had been grateful for.

Rick and Carl had also come to visit but they only stayed a few minutes as it was almost there turn to go on watch duty.

The only people who hadn't visited were Keely and Will. He had asked Hershel about this during one of his bandage changes and Hershel had said he thought there might be something going on between the two. Daryl was glad of that.

Now ever since he had started getting kind of snippy those visits had all but stopped as the others tried to steer clear of grumpy Daryl. He wished they would come back. He would be willing to listen to anyone right now as long as he had _something_ to do. Even Beth had been wary of him lately.

...

He was sitting propped up in the chair staring out of the window watching some of the group pass by when the door opened. Carol walked in with a tub of water and Beth followed behind her with a few towels. Daryl watched them set everything up on a table suspiciously. He hadn't been able to bathe since the accident and he was starting to smell himself.

"Whatcha doin' over there?" He asked.

Carol turned to him. "It's time for a bath. Hershel says you can have a sponge bath."

"Fine. Give me the sponge." He muttered.

Carol placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "And just how do you think you are going to accomplish that alone?" She demanded. Beth was pretending not to listen and busied herself setting out soap and clean clothes for him.

"I'll manage." Came the short reply.

"I don't think so. You'll never get those clothes off and reach everywhere to do it properly. Those bandages on your ribs and hand have to be redressed." Carol said. She began spreading out some towels on the cot.

"Ain't nobody washin' me like I'm no damn baby!" Daryl growled. He knew he was being unreasonable but he was so tired of being coddled.

_Well that did it,_ Beth thought. She marched over to his chair and leaned until she was nose to nose with him. "You know what? I am so tired of hearing you complain! You're getting a bath today whether you like it or not! Everyone has bent over backwards to try and make you more comfortable since you were hurt and this is how you repay us?" Beth's voice rose. "I'll tell you something, _Dixon,_ we aren't leaving this room until we have finished the job! So are you gonna play nice or are we going to have to force you?"

Carol stifled a laugh in the background and Daryl fought hard to keep the grin off his face. He couldn't help it and finally he started to chuckle. Just as quickly, he stopped as his ribs protested the movement.

"Alright fine. Let's get this over with." Daryl said. She smiled and he said. "I want you to do it."

He watched her smile dissapear as she thought about that. Her confidence was beginning to falter a little. It was easy to boss him around with Carol as a buffer but by herself?

"I don't-" She began.

"Oh, so what happened to the hellcat who just put me in my place? Giving up already?" He taunted.

Beth's eyes narrowed. "I'll take care of this Carol." She said.

Carol's eyes scanned the pair of them. Beth was still leaning over Daryl with her arms on either side of the chair and they were staring at each other with such an intensity that Carol almost felt like she was intruding anyway.

"Sure. Just call if you need some help." She grinned again and hurried off to tell the others the funny story.

Daryl was the first to break the tension. "You gonna help me onto that cot over there kid, or we just gonna sit here staring at one another all day?" He said softly.

"Did you just call me kid again?" She demanded.

"Yea, I did. I like this new take-charge Beth. It's kind of a turn on." He said cockily. This was the most entertainment he had had all week and he had to admit he was enjoying himself immensely.

She grabbed him by the arms and helped him to stand carefully. They made their way over by the cot and stopped.

"Gonna take my clothes off?" He whispered.

Her gaze snapped up to meet his. She started blushing, she couldn't help herself. She might have been getting bolder but she was still innocent in a lot of ways.

"Yea." She said softly and cleared her throat. She began tugging at the shirt and then stopped.

"This would be a lot easier if you cooperated." She said.

"Lot more fun this way though." He replied.

"Fine. Have it your way." She reached out a hand to poke him in the ribs.

"Hey! Woah, alright alright!" He obeyed and raised his arms so she could pull his shirt off. The bandage around his ribs covered most of his chest but she could still see the muscles in his arms and shoulders. She could feel him watching her and it was making her start to squirm a little.

She reached down to the button of his pants and noticed he had an erection. "Oh my God!" She said without thinking.

It was Daryl's turn to blush a little. "Can't help it. Just ignore it."

_Yeah, right,_ she thought. She unbuttoned his pants and slid them off quickly while trying to keep her face averted. Now he was standing there in his boxers.

"We'll keep those on." She said.

...

Daryl silently agreed with her. He was more turned on than he had ever been in his life. No one had ever undressed him before. He had enjoyed teasing her and he could see it was having an affect on her. Her confidence was slipping. He didn't know much about flirting or foreplay but he was winging it. He liked seeing her squirm. He had had a lot of time to think in this room by himself. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted Beth. Now that he had that figured out and realized it would be a little over a week before he could do anything about it, he had started getting grumpy. He had snapped at some of the others who had just been trying to check up on him and Beth had gotten mad and stopped visiting as much. That had only increased his grumpiness.

Now here she was, undressing him as if she did it every day and it was the biggest turn on of his life.

With Beth's guidance, he managed to get back onto the cot and he laid back with a sigh of relief. It was going to take him some time to get his strength built back after this.

He watched as she began dipping the washcloth into the steamy water and taking the soap to make a foam. She squeezed out the excess water and started on his shoulders.

He sucked in a breath as the warm water trickled over his shoulders and down his side. He let out a groan. Beth faltered for a moment but then she continued. Daryl closed his eyes as she proceeded to wash his arms, hands, legs, and feet. She was _very _thorough and Daryl thought he might die before she finished. She took a towel and began slowly patting him dry. He was still aroused but neither of them said anything about it and although Beth's eyes kept darting to it, she avoided the area.

...

Finally Beth let out a breath of air as she finished drying off his unbandaged arm. She had discovered lots of scars on him and each one had made her sad and she had taken great care to be gentle with them. At one point, Daryl's eyes had met hers and she knew he could see the sympathy in them. He hadn't said anything, just averted his gaze and she had kept going.

Now she was done and she moved the table with the tub of water out of the way. She grabbed the clothes and went to help Daryl up. His arm snaked out and caught her by the waist. He still had lots of strength left apparently. He drug her closer to him and gripped her behind the head pulling her down to him.

"Thank you." He breathed when their lips were only a fraction of an inch apart.

She mumbled something incoherently and parted her lips. He groaned and pushed his lips to hers. He tasted minty with a hint of coffee and she realized he must have brushed his teeth earlier before they had come in.

She pulled back. "Daryl." She said softly. He was breathing slow shallow breaths so as not to irritate his still sore ribs. She leaned her forehead against his.

"Sorry." He rasped. "I promise to be good."

She paused for a long moment before locking eyes with him.

"What if I don't want you to be good?" She whipered.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: Please forgive any errors in the chapter. I read it over twice but I'm really drained and I might have missed something here and there. I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as the last! You all really know how to make a girl feel special with your reviews... BOOM! lol Thanks again!**

It had been three days since Beth had given him his first sponge bath. It had been so erotic to have her touching him like that that he would gladly lie in pain every day if it meant she would do it again.

Unfortunately, they hadn't had a moment to themselves to talk, much less time for him to pursue that statement further. _Jesus, _he got hard as a teenage boy in puberty every time he thought about what she had said to him.

"Well, you're healing nicely. I can take the bandage off your hand and I can put a much smaller one around your ribs. The bruising is almost gone but you will still be sore. I think you should be okay to do some outside activities if you're ready." Hershel said as he was examining Daryl.

"Ready? I been ready!" Daryl scoffed.

Hershel unwrapped his hand and put a smaller bandage around his ribs. "That should feel a lot better. I think you should take it slow. Build yourself back up to where you were before you got injured." Hershel advised.

"I'm just happy to be getting' out of this room some. I ain't felt like I was in jail since when we was at the prison." Daryl said.

Hershel chuckled. Beth knocked on the door and stuck her head in. "Decent?" She asked.

Daryl scoffed. "Hell I ain't never been decent but I guess I'm close as I'll ever be." He said as Hershel helped him slip back into his shirt.

Beth walked into the room and kissed her daddy's cheek. "Daddy told me he's giving you leave to go outside." Daryl nodded. "I figured I would help you with some exercises to get your strength back." She said.

Daryl studied her. She was up to somethin'. "Alright. If you think you're game."

"Just remember you're not going to be able to pick right back up where you were." Hershel warned.

"We'll take it slow." Beth told her dad.

…

Daryl followed Beth over to where she had laid out a blanket onto the grass back behind the buildings. Daryl raised an eyebrow at this.

"A blanket?" He asked.

She blushed. "I didn't think you would want to get grass all over you."

Daryl smirked. "Yea I wouldn't want to mess up my brand new clothes." He said sarcastically.

"Fine. Forget I offered. I just thought you could use the help and-"

"Hey, hey, easy! I was just jokin'. The blanket is fine. I'm just not used to nobody worried about my comfort." He said.

She was quiet.

"So where you want me?" He asked.

It wasn't meant to be a sexual question, but Beth's mind still ventured there anyway. She had visions of Daryl over her, kissing her all over.

"I figure we can start with some stretching and then move on from there if you feel okay." She replied.

"Alright."

He got down on the blanket and then looked up at her.

"Well come on." He said.

She looked startled. "Excuse me?"

He patted the blanket. "I ain't doin' this by myself. If I gotta do your girlie stretches, you can do them with me."

She sighed and laid down next to him. Daryl grinned to himself.

"Alright. Let's start with a simple leg stretch. Just copy me but go slowly." She advised.

Daryl did as she asked but when they moved to the other leg he caught a muscle cramp.

"Shit!" He cursed. He grabbed his thigh.

Beth jumped up without thinking and pushed his hands out of the way to begin massaging it. He groaned and closed his eyes as she massage the muscle.

"How does that feel? Is it going away?" She asked worriedly.

She glanced up at him and saw that his expression had changed. His eyes had a burning intensity to them and she nervously licked her lips.

"Come here." He beckoned.

Slowly she released his thigh and crawled closer to him. He reached a hand out and pulled her down to him to claim her lips in a kiss. She melted into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her hungrily.

He was trying to go slow, let her get a feel for him but he had never been with a woman who wasn't experienced. She whimpered and pushed her body closer to him. He rolled over her and his ribs protested but he ignored it.

She was so beautiful that he just stared at her for a few minutes. Her hair was a wild mess around her face and her eyes were closed. Her face was flushed and she was breathing hard.

He took one finger and slowly circled her lips and then traced a trail down to the top button of her shirt. Her lips parted and her breathing deepened. Encouraged by her reaction, he kept going. He slowly unbuttoned each button and spread her shirt back until she was lying there with her bra showing.

He drank in the sight of her lacy pink bra. He was shaking and he didn't know if it was from nerves or excitement.

"Please Daryl." She whispered.

He unsnapped her bra and freed her breasts. He sucked in a breath and their eyes locked. He saw the same fire mirrored in her that he himself was feeling.

...

Beth felt Daryl unsnap her bra and she almost reached to cover herself but was stopped by the look on his face. He wore an expression of desire and awe. She was so caught up in his features that she barely noticed until his head bent down and he took her nipple into his mouth. She bucked against him and tangled her fingers in his hair. She was briefly aware of the fact that they were out in the open but she didn't care.

All she cared about was Daryl not stopping what he was doing. He began trailing kisses down her belly to the top of her pants. He kept sneaking glances at her.

"Hey Beth! You and Daryl down here?" Carol's voice crashed down over their bodies like a bucket of ice water.

Daryl froze in mid carress and cursed. "What is it with the damn people around here? Can't they give a person some privacy!" He muttered.

She sat up to fasten her bra and button her shirt. Her fingers were shaking so bad she had trouble getting the buttons down.

"Here let me do it." Daryl grumbled.

She couldn't figure out why he was grumpy. _Did she do something wrong? _His fingers were fast and his movements were jerky as he finished the buttons. He kept muttering curses every few seconds. She tried to comb her hair back into her ponytail with her fingers as best she could. They finished as soon as Carol rounded the building.

"Hey! There you are. I've been calling you." She said.

"We been right here." Daryl said.

Carol's eyes swept over the pair of them. She took in Beth's shirt that was clearly buttoned wrong and Daryl's obvious frustration. Beth's cheeks were stained red and she kept fidgeting with her hair. Carol realized she had interrupted something. Obviously it hadn't gotten started as made apparent by Daryl's growing frustration. She cleared her throat.

"Well, it's a good thing I told Maggie I would come and find you two. We've got an issue at the gate." She said and Daryl's eyes snapped to attention.

"What's goin' on?" He asked as he stood up.

"Company. Three people, two of them men and one woman. Rick is gathering the group together now. He told me to find you. It's a good thing too considering how you both look. Beth please fix your shirt, you missed a button. And Daryl?" Carol asked.

"Yea?" Daryl replied.

She grinned. "We do have beds. You might want to try that next time."


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note: Not sure where this chapter came from. Thought I was done for the day but then inspiration hit and well, here it is! I think it turned out quite well! Drop me a line and let me know what you think! I quite like this side of Daryl I am seeing! :)**

Daryl's ribs protested the whole walk down to the guard shack. He couldn't get the vision of Beth half naked out of his head. He was conscious of Beth walking beside him and wondered what she was thinking. Part of him wanted to grab her hand but another part of him smirked and thought that was silly.

The group had all gathered around three people and he could see Michonne had her katana out and hanging by her side. Glenn was palming his knife as well. _Were they a threat?_

Rick glanced up and saw them. He and Glenn walked over.

"What's up?" Daryl asked.

"They came walking up about fifteen minutes ago. They only got the packs on their back. Said they were part of a bigger group that got ambushed by walkers. They are the only survivors." Glenn said.

"You believe em'?" Daryl asked Rick and Glenn.

"Hard to say. Their story has been consistent so far. They don't appear to be threatening." Rick said. Glenn nodded.

"Let's go over." Daryl said.

Daryl studied them as he walked over. There were two males and one female. The female was probably in her thirties he guessed as well as the men.

"I'm sorry to intrude upon your camp here folks. We are kinda at the end of our rope here. I was hoping you all might be so kind as to let us stay for a while?" One of the men asked.

"How long's a while?" Daryl asked.

The man looked at him. His gaze briefly flicked to Beth, who was holding on to Daryl's arm.

"Through winter?" The man asked. "We can work for our rooms."

"Wouldn't expect any less." Daryl said. "We all pull our weight around here."

"Of course." The man said. He smiled but Daryl didn't feel like the smile was genuine for some reason. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but something about this guy struck him as odd.

"If you'll just give us a few minutes, we'll talk it over. It's up to the group." Daryl said.

The three moved over to stand off by the fence while their group came in closer in a huddle.

"I ain't so sure about that one." Daryl said, nodding to the guy who had done all the talking.

"They seem okay to me." Beth stated.

"I agree with Daryl. He seems off to me. " Michonne spoke up.

"They look half starved. Poor things." Carol said.

"We can't just send them off. It's gonna be really cold soon. The nights are already cold." Keely observed.

"Alright. Listen up. We'll cast a vote. They can have what Rick gave Will. A one week trial period. If they do okay, they can stay, If not, then we give them a few supplies and send em' on their way." Daryl said. "Sound okay?"

Everyone murmured their agreement.

"All in favor of them goin', raise your hand." Daryl asked.

Michonne, Carl, Maggie, and Glenn raised their hands.

"Stayin'?"

The rest of the group raised their hands. Daryl nodded. "I guess we'll give it a try then."

"Sasha, Tyreese, why don't you take them over to the barracks and find them a bunk?" Rick asked.

The other group walked over as they separated. "Yall got names?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, I'm John. This is Mike and Heather." John told them.

John still kept stealing glances at Beth and Daryl inadvertently reached for her hand and held it. John's eyes flashed for a brief instant and his gaze met Daryl's. He smirked and quickly looked away.

Mike and Heather still hadn't said much the whole time. They gathered their little packs and followed Tyreese and Sasha to the barracks.

...

Beth was standing there in complete shock. _Daryl had grabbed her hand!_ She was grinning to herself and tried to concentrate. She wondered what had possessed him to do that? Not that she was complaining of course.

She hadn't missed her sister's look when it happened either. Maggie raised her brows at Beth and when Beth shrugged and grinned back at her, Maggie finally had to smile back.

As the others began to break up she turned to Daryl. "Hey, you okay?" She asked.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Yea, why?"

She glanced down at their joined hands. "Not that I'm complaining but you've never grabbed my hand before."

"Gotta start somewhere right? Besides, I can't just jump yer bones with your daddy over their starin'." He winked.

Beth glanced over but saw that Hershel was busy conversing with Rick.

"Beth can you help me watch Judith while I start on dinner?" Carol came up and asked.

Beth glanced up at Daryl. "You don't need my permission." He smirked.

She squeezed his hand and gave him a smile before walking off with Carol who was now bouncing Judith on her hip.

...

Beth was sitting on a stool in the kitchen making faces at Judith who was banging a plastic spoon on her makeshift high chair.

Tyreese had sculpted her a table from some spare wood outside and attached it to a regular chair. He was very good with building and once told them he had dabbled in carpentry before.

Judith was babbling happily at Beth as if she was holding a conversation. She hadn't formed any words yet but she was making her vowel sounds so it was only a matter of time.

"So, want to talk about it?" Carol ventured.

She was stirring a pot of vegetable soup on the gas stove they used. The stove was a complete luxury for them. Even without electricity, all they had to do was light the burners with a match and they could cook and heat all kinds of food. It made food taste so much better to be eaten hot. It also made the kitchen the warmest room on the base.

"I guess we were kind of obvious huh?" Beth said.

Carol smiled. "Yes, you were. I'm just glad it was me instead of Maggie or Hershel. I'm not sure they are quite ready to see that your relationship has progressed to that level. Speaking of that, how far _has_ your relationship went?"

"You mean have we, uh- done it?" Beth whispered.

Carol laughed. "First of all, if you can't say the word sex, I'm not at all sure you _should_ be doing it."

Beth blushed. "I can't help it. I feel so drawn to him. I don't know what's gotten into me." She said softly.

Carol put down the spoon she was using to stir the soup and walked over to Beth.

"Honey, sex isn't a bad thing. It's okay to have strong feelings for someone but you need to make sure you're ready and that you aren't jumping into it too soon. Daryl's a great man, but he's still a man that has needs."

"What should I do?" Beth asked.

"If you've gotta ask me, you definitely aren't ready." Carol went back to stirring her soup while Beth sat there contemplating her words.

...

Daryl was walking outside when Carol opened the doors to the mess hall and yelled.

"Dinner!"

Everyone began making there way over to the mess hall except for Will and Keely who were on watch and would eat when their turn was up. Daryl saw Beth sit at one of the tables in the front with her bowl of soup and he hurried to hop in line and grab a bowl so that he could sit with her. As he was standing in line he noticed the new guy, John, walk up to her and begin talking to her.

Never one to be jealous about anything Daryl didn't realize he was jealous until Glenn asked him what was wrong.

"Hey what's wrong? All the soup's not gone is it?" Glenn asked as he tried to get a look up front, oblivious to where Daryl's attention was.

"Ah no. Well I mean I ain't got no idea." Daryl said.

"You looked like someone just stole your favorite cookie." Glenn observed.

_Cookie? I guess you could say that,_ Daryl mused. He looked back at Beth and saw her in conversation with John and his blood boiled.

...

"Hey there. I don't believe we have been properly introduced. My name's John." The guy that walked up to Beth said.

She put down her spoon. "I'm Beth."

He smiled and held out his hand. She tentively placed her small hand in his. "A pleasure." He kissed her hand.

She giggled. He was so old fashioned. She had never had anyone kiss her hand before. She only read about that kind of stuff in books.

John sat down next to her. "So what's your story?"

"Well, I'm here with my Dad and my sister Maggie. And that's Glenn-her boyfriend, over there." She pointed as she talked.

"Where's your boyfriend? The guy from earlier doesn't seem like your type. Anything serious?" He leaned in.

Beth was a little taken aback and was debating on how to answer that when the slam of a bowl across from her made her jump.

"Suggest you get in line if you wanna eat. Food's goin' fast." Daryl's voice was clipped with warning.

John held up both hands in surrender. "Hey! Hey! It's all good man. Just getting to know her a little, that's all. It's a free country."

"Them rules don't apply anymore." Daryl growled. "Maybe you should find someone else to '_get to know_'.

Beth could hear the undercurrent of anger in his tone. She couldn't believe how he was acting. She was just talking to John and- wait- was Daryl _jealous_? She hadn't ever seen Daryl jealous before. Now, looking at the two of them staring at each other she realized that was exactly what was going on.

They were having a staring contest and Beth could see that John wasn't backing down. Which meant Daryl wouldn't either.

_Oh, my God. What am I going to do? _


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: I heart you all! You keep me pushing forward when I want to slack off! Hope you enjoy! P.S. Reviews are like candy, I am so addicted to them so please keep writing them! Even if it's just one or two words! Thank you! :)**

Daryl smirked when John was the first one to break the stare. _Pussy,_ Daryl thought to himself.

John glanced down at Beth who was staring wide eyed back and forth between the two.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I was out of line." John said to Beth.

Daryl watched Beth fluster. "No, it's ok. I'm not sure what's wrong with Daryl." She said, giving him a side glance.

Daryl's eyes narrowed at John. _Bastard was trying to play her and she didn't even know it._ He had been around plenty of guys such as John throughout his life and he knew his game. He didn't like it. These feelings kept nagging at him and it was making him moodier by the minute.

As soon as John walked away to get his food Beth turned to him.

"What's the matter with you?!" She hissed.

Daryl stared at her in confusion. "_Me?_"

"Yes, you! You were so rude to him! He was just being friendly." Beth said.

"He was undressin' you with his eyes! He was practically tryin' to crawl inside your shirt. The _same_ shirt I might add that I just had my hands under no more an' hour ago!" He whispered back heatedly.

Beth glanced around to see if they had drawn attention and was relieved to see everyone talking and eating. "What is with you? You're acting like you're jealous."

Daryl snorted. "Jealous? Hah! I ain't jealous." He muttered.

...

"Hey guys, what's up?" Maggie said as she sat down next to Beth.

"Oh we were just discussing the need for another run." Daryl chimed in.

"Yea, I think it's time. We need to get it in before the cold sets. It might be a long winter." Maggie said.

"I agree." Glenn came up and set down his tray next to Daryl.

Beth was too busy looking at Daryl to pay much attention to their conversation. She wasn't quite sure how to handle this jealous feeling. She didn't see anything wrong with talking to John. _There was no harm in that, right?_ He had apologized for overstepping his boundaries so everything should be okay.

Except why did she have a feeling it wasn't?

...

Daryl called a group meeting the next day to talk strategy. He didn't invite the new members to group since they were still there on a trial basis only. And if it were up to him, that's _all _it would be.

The group all gathered into the mess hall and Daryl sat on the table top in front of them. His ribs were feeling so much better today. He could actually bend without gasping in pain.

"Alright. We need to make a run. I figure we can make this our last one so it needs to be a big one. It's goin' to require a lotta people." He said. "Any volunteers?"

Tyreese offered to go, along with Carl. Rick volunteered himself and so did Sasha.

"And I'll go so that's five of us. What about you Michonne?" Daryl asked.

"Maybe we should take one of the new people?" Tyreese suggested. "Like Keely? That way she can get a feel of the runs before winter hits."

"That could work. This shouldn't be no dangerous run. We just need to gather as many materials as possible." Daryl added.

He was surprised Beth hadn't volunteered but then again, after yesterday he didn't know what was going through her mind.

"So Michonne is gonna sit this one out? So it's just me, Carl, Sasha, Tyreese, Daryl and Keely?" Rick asked.

Daryl nodded.

"You all should go back to the hotel. We could use the mattresses and blankets. They may have left some supplies behind as well." Michonne suggested.

"Good idea." Rick said.

"Yea. Carol you can get with the ladies on any supplies they might be needin' and give your list to Sasha or Keely. Let's all take a few days, prepare ourselves and make sure we got our lists, and then we will hit it by the end of the week. Sound good to everyone?" Daryl asked.

Everyone nodded and began talking amongst themselves. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Beth get up and exit the hall. The meeting being over, he stepped to the side and followed her out.

...

Beth had mixed feelings about Daryl going on this run. She didn't want him to get hurt again. She noticed he had looked at her when he asked for volunteers but she didn't volunteer. She didn't really want to go back out right now. She had too much on her mind.

"Hey!" Daryl said from behind her as he sped up to catch up to her.

She stopped. "What?"

"What's up? I thought you would volunteer." He asked.

"Daryl are you sure you're ready to go back out? I mean, what if something happens again?"

"Ain't nothin' gon' happen. We done took out the Governor so we don't have to worry about him. And ain't no one else posin' a threat."

"I just worry that's all." Beth said.

"I can take care of myself jus' fine."

"I know that! It's just we are just starting to get to know one another and I don't want to lose that." Beth kicked at the concrete with her boots.

"Everything will be fine." He reassured her.

...

Later that day the women all sat outside in the crisp air and sunshine and started telling Carol what they wanted. Carol had pen and paper ready and was frantically writing down everyone's needs and wants.

"Soap. The kind that smells good." Maggie grinned.

"Tampons." Sasha and Keely both said at the same time and all the girls laughed.

"Makeup." Maggie added.

"Lotion." Michonne chipped in.

They went on and on for another fifteen minutes until Carol finally cried, "Stop!"

She laughed. "I've got two pages. They're only going to be gone one day. I think we've got it covered."

Carol folded up the list and handed it to Sasha. "Here, it's all on you now." She said and grinned.

Sasha grinned back. "Great! It will take me all day to find everything Maggie wants." She teased.

Maggie pretended to be upset and they all laughed.

"Let's go to the living area and play cards or something. We can torture the guys." Keely suggested.

She had become a lot friendlier since Will had come into the group. He was younger than her by a few years but Beth couldn't judge her for it because she was also younger than Daryl.

She hadn't seen him since the group meeting and she wondered where he was. Snagging a piece of Carol's paper she scribbled a few items on it and caught Sasha's hand as they were all leaving.

"Hey. Can you keep a secret?" Beth asked.

Sasha nodded slowly. "Depends on what the secret is." She said suspiciously.

"I need you to get some things for me but I need you to be discreet about it. " Beth said.

Sasha raised her brows and took Beth's list. She scanned it and looked back up at Beth with a grin.

"Your secret is safe with me." She said.

Beth was relieved to have that taken care of. There was just one more person she needed to see before going to find Daryl. She was hoping this person could help her.

...

Daryl was sitting in his room that evening when Beth knocked on his door. Startled that he didn't know anyone was in the building he opened the door to her standing there.

"Hey." She said softly. "Can I come in?"

He stepped back and motioned her inside. He was careful to keep the door open even though everyone was in the other building playing a rousing game of cards.

She sat down on his bed. She had never been in his room before. Even at the prison when she had helped Carol clean, she had never been in Daryl's space.

It was simple yet tidy. It had nothing of significance in it except for his bow sitting on a side table along with a pair of sunglasses.

He watched her nervously perch on the side of his bed. She kept fidgeting with her clothes as if trying to stretch the wrinkles out.

He noticed she smelled faintly of berries of some sort and he took the time to study her. She seemed to have taken great care with her appearance this evening. Her clothes were neat and her boots were wiped clean. She even appeared to be wearing makeup.

"Got a date?" He drawled.

"Excuse me?" Beth stammered.

"You all dressed up like you got a hot date or somethin'."

"No. I just wanted to come talk to you." She replied.

"I'm goin'." He stated firmly before she could start to try to dissuade him again.

"I figured. That's not why I came. You see, I, umm..." She faltered.

_Why was she so nervous?_

He sat beside her on the bed. "What's goin' on?" He demanded.

Instead of answering she threw herself into his arms and he fell back onto the bed. She climbed on top of him and straddled him like a horse.

He cocked an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything. She leaned down to kiss him. He kissed her back for a few minutes then moved her to the side where he could sit up.

"What is it?" Beth asked.

"You tell me." Daryl asked. "This ain't you. You all dressed up and comin' on to me. Wanna tell me about it?"

Beth fought to keep back tears from her eyes. She looked down at his blanket.

"I just thought...I thought." She stopped and he saw a tear trickle down.

_Sweet Jesus, she was crying. How the hell do you comfort a crying woman? _

He did the only thing he could think of and held open his arms. She collapsed into them with a sob and they fell back on the bed with her sobbing into his shirt. He just lay there and let her cry it out. He wasn't sure what was bothering her. He hadn't been turned on by her all dolled up. That wasn't who she was. She was simple and he liked that.

Now here she was crying into his arms and he was holding her. If Merle could see him now he would laugh and say Daryl had gone soft. Maybe he had, he didn't know.

Eventually her cries became whimpers and he felt her breathing even out as he suspected she had fallen asleep. He eased her onto her side and went to pick her up to carry her to bed when something slid out of her pocket.

Bending down to pick it up he realized why she had come to him that way.

In his hand was a condom.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note: You know I have to look out for my readers! Chapter 19 is here! LOL, on a serious note though I noticed that in the other chapter I referred to Glenn as Maggie's boyfriend and they are now married. Oops! Please forgive me. I read everything dozens of times but sometimes I am so excited to see everyone's reaction that my brain skips over some things! :)**

Beth assumed Daryl must have carried her to her bed after she fell asleep because that's where she woke up the next morning. She got up and wiped the sleep from her eyes and glanced in her small handheld mirror laying on her table.

_Oh my! I look awful!_ No wonder Daryl had stopped her from continuing. She didn't know what had gotten into her. She was so scared of him getting hurt again so soon after this last time that she had thought she would try to seduce him. Then Carol had said he was a man with needs so she thought it might help to initiate sex with Daryl. Only it hadn't worked that way at all. She had been so ashamed of her actions and the fact that he rejected her that she had started crying and couldn't stop.

She had gotten Maggie to help her with the makeup under the pretense that she just wanted to spend time together and while Maggie wasn't looking she had went through her things for the condom.

"Might as well put it up." She muttered to herself and dug through her pockets. It wasn't there. _Oh my God, where was it?_

_..._

Daryl was sitting outside on the bench cleaning his bow when Carl walked up.

"Hey." He said and sat down next to Daryl.

Daryl eyed him. "What's up?"

"Nothin', just bored. " Carl adjusted his hat and kicked his boots against the ground.

"Yea? Where's your buddy Will? Ain't you two attached at the hip or somethin'?" Daryl asked.

Carl snorted. "Not anymore. He spends all his free time with Keely."

"Jealous?" Daryl smiled at him.

"I guess. It's kind of like how I imagine having a big brother would be. Will's cool." Carl said. "How do you handle it?"

"'Scuse me?" Daryl asked.

"You know, your jealousy. I saw you and Beth and that new guy at dinner the other day."

Daryl was taken aback. Carl noticed more than people gave him credit for.

"Please! I ain't jealous." Daryl scoffed.

"Yeah, okay. How many times are you going to have to tell yourself that to believe it?" Carl asked.

"Hey, this ain't about me! When the hell did you become such an expert anyhow?" Daryl grumbled.

"I like to watch people. It's interestin' and passes the time. You need to let Beth know how you feel about her. _Have_ you told her?" Carl asked.

Daryl scratched his head. Was he really taking advice from Carl? "No. I ain't sure how I feel about her I suppose. I know I like her and she treats me different than anybody else ever has."

"Then maybe you should tell her. It wouldn't kill you to act like you two are together either. I mean, the whole group knows it but yall still sneak around like we don't." Carl got up to walk away.

"When did you become so smart?" Daryl asked.

"Somebody has to tell you when you're being dumb." Carl added as he walked away.

"Smartass!" Daryl called and he heard Carl snicker. He smiled to himself and continued cleaning his bow.

...

When Daryl walked up to the guard shack for his turn on duty, he saw that Michonne was there. She must have had duty before him.

"Hey Michonne, you got a minute?" Daryl asked her.

"Sure. What is it?"

He went and leaned against the wall next to her.

"I'm nervous about goin' on this run." He began.

Michonne snorted. "You? You've got to be kidding me."

"Nah, not in that way. I mean, I'm more nervous about leaving Beth here with that creep John around. I'd really like to take him and knock him around a few times but Beth seems to think he's alright."

Michonne nodded. "I know what you mean. He was leering at Sasha earlier this morning at breakfast. "

"See? Somethin' ain't right there. Anyhow, since you're staying here, can you keep an eye out for her? I don't want him fillin' her head with crap." Daryl said.

"You mean you don't want him invading on your territory." Michonne said.

"Uh-" Daryl began.

"She's already declared to the whole group she's in love with you. Hershel gave his blessing and even Maggie is coming around. What are you waiting for?"

This was the second time today he had heard this. He groaned.

"I don't know. This is hard for me. I'm tryin' though, I really am!" Daryl cried as he began pacing in front of her.

Michonne placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll keep an eye on her. Don't worry. Focus on the group and getting everyone in and out safely. She'll be fine here. You have my word."

Daryl sighed his relief. If Michonne gave you her word, you could count on her to keep it.

He walked up to the fence and stabbed two walkers in the head hoping to relieve some stress.

...

Beth walked over to where Rick and Carl were repairing a broken hinge on the door to the administration building. It was nice to see them working together like father and son again. Rick was even laughing at something Carl had said.

"Have you seen Daryl?" Beth asked them.

"He's on watch I think." Rick said. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to talk to him about something." She said. "Hey Carl."

"Hey." He smiled at Beth. She smiled back and continued on to the guard shack.

She found Daryl smoking a cigarette by the fence. His eyes watched her as she made her way over. Every time he looked at her intensely she felt a delighted tingle. She came to a stop a few steps away from him.

"Lookin' for me?" He asked.

"Actually, yes I was. I wanted to apologize for last night. I don't know what came over me." She said.

"Nothin' to be sorry bout'. Hell I like it when you take charge. I knew somethin' was off though because you never wear much makeup." He crushed out his cigarette and touched her face.

"You're usually so pure and simple. I like you that way." He whispered.

She flushed under his hand. "I actually wanted to ask you about somethin'."

Suddenly his expression grew amused. "Yeah?"

Her eyes narrowed. She pushed his shoulder but he barely budged. "So you _did _take it!" She cried.

He laughed. "It fell out your pocket. Thought I would hold onto it. You know, just in case."

He was smiling and she couldn't help it she had to smile back. Daryl wearing a smile was hard to resist. He so rarely let down his guard.

"That's mean! I've been thinking I dropped it outside your room somewhere!"

"I can make it up to ya." He said.

She tilted her head at him. "Oh yeah? How?"

He bent his head and pulled her in for a kiss. His lips were hard and hungry on hers. He lifted her off the ground and she automatically wrapped her legs around his waist.

They heard someone clear their throat behind them.

Startled, Beth unwrapped her legs and slid to the ground. Daryl was grinning like he had a big secret to tell. They turned around to find Mike and Heather standing there.

...

Daryl should have known. Any time he got near Beth and started touching her someone showed up. He wasn't in a bad mood though and he was grinning in spite of the interruption.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt." Mike said. He was holding Heather's hand.

"It's alright. We was just sayin' hello." Daryl smiled.

Beth elbowed him and he chuckled. "Just ignore him."

"What's up?" Daryl asked them.

"Rick thought I could give you a hand out here. He said it wouldn't hurt for me to learn a bit even if we don't get to stay." Mike said.

"I just thought I would come along." Heather added.

Daryl studied them. He figured them to be a couple they way they were holding hands. Mike seemed to be pretty fit and so did Heather. So far, they hadn't caused any trouble that he knew of, unlike their buddy John.

"Are you two married?" Beth asked them.

"We are. We were on our honeymoon when this all started." Heather said.

"Wow, bet that was some honeymoon." Daryl whistled.

Mike grinned. "Yea I guess you could say that. We always wanted to do something new and exciting." He joked.

"Listen, we really hope you all will let us stay. We really like how you have everything set up here. You're so organized. We never had anything like that." Heather said.

"What's the deal with this John fellow?" Daryl asked and Beth shot him a look that he ignored.

"I don't know man. He's been with us for a while but like I said we had just lost our group. We were camping out in the woods and got overrun. It was bad. Lost some good friends." Mike paused. "Anyway we three were the only ones to make it out and we only traveled together for a day before finding you all. He's kind of cheesy but he seems alright. Did he give you trouble?"

"Nah, nothin' I can't handle." Daryl said. "Jus' wonderin'."

"To be honest. We don't know much more than you all. I know he had a girlfriend who was killed by walkers. Other than that, we never talked much. He was kind of a loner." Heather said.

"Hey I was going to go help Carol do laundry. Want to come?" Beth asked Heather.

Heather smiled. "Sure! It would be nice to be around some females for a change!"

Beth laughed. She walked to Daryl and before he knew it was coming, she kissed him on the cheek.

She could feel his gaze on her as she walked away.

...

On the morning of the run, the group all gathered into the mess hall for last minute preparations.

Daryl made sure everyone had weapons and ammunition for the guns that they would take for emergency purposes only.

Daryl was ready for this run. He was in a great mood. He had been gearing up for it mentally and he was ready to get out beyond the fence for a while and burn some steam. He eyed the source of his frustration as of late.

John was currently walking around and looking at all the weapons. Daryl was watching him cautiously. Once again, John strayed over to where Beth was standing with a few of the other women.

Beth was smiling at something John was saying. Muttering curses under his breath Daryl strode over between them.

Not saying a thing he grabbed her face. Startled she just stood there and he stared at her intently. Then, not giving a damn who saw, he dipped her back and kissed her long and hard.

When he was done he noticed everyone had stopped what they were doing.

"What? Yall ain't never seen nobody kiss?" He yelled.

He winked at Beth and striding past John he muttered, "Douchebag."

...

Beth just stood there with her jaw hanging. _Wow._

John made a face and walked away. She couldn't even remember what he had been saying.

Maggie was the first to speak up. "Wow! That was some kiss!"

Everyone snickered. It wasn't every day that Daryl made a public display of affection.

"What did you put in that man's oatmeal Carol?" Rick snorted.

Beth was smiling. She knew he had acted out of jealousy but he still did it.

_That had to count for something._


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note: Here it is! I'm working on getting another chapter up for all you addicts out there so don't fret yet. Type in those reviews and motivate me so I can hurry and get it out! I'm loving all the suggestions/thoughts for the story! I don't get time to reply to them all or can't if you're a guest, but I read each and every one! **

The base felt empty without Daryl there. Normally she could feel his presense throughout the day and she already missed him. Watching them pull out had been hard. It was going to be a long day.

At least the sun was shining even though it was definitely cold. Glenn was on watch and most everyone was trying to keep busy. Heather and Mike were helping Carol sort through dry laundry. Maggie was around somewhere and every time Beth turned around she seemed to run into Michonne.

Like right now. She peeked over her shoulder but was surprised to find Michonne gone. _Maybe I'm just paranoid._ She shrugged and went in search of Maggie.

She found her in administration changing the beds.

"Why are you doing that? I thought the others were bringing back some mattresses."Beth asked.

Maggie shrugged. "Keeps me busy I suppose. A lot of good people gone today. Makes me nervous."

"Have you seen Daddy?"

"Yeah, saw him a little while ago. He said he was gonna nap for a bit. I think his leg is bothering him. You know how the cold does." Maggie said.

"I know. I hope this winter is not too hard on him." Beth sighed.

Maggie sat down on the bed she had just finished. She patted the spot next to her.

"How have you been? We haven't had a lot of time to talk lately." Maggie asked her.

"I've been okay. I haven't been ignoring you, we've just all been so busy preparing for winter that sometimes it's hard to catch you alone."

"That's my fault. I'm always with Glenn. I know that must be hard on you. You have Daryl now though. It's so weird how that happened. He doesn't strike me as the relationship type but you're definitely bringing him around." Maggie smiled.

"You think so?" Beth asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah! That kiss this morning was hot! I mean I love Glenn but for a moment I could see what you saw in Daryl. "

Beth giggled. "Yeah, I don't know where that came from. He's been acting oddly lately."

"Jealousy will do that to you." Maggie said.

"Jealousy? You think this morning was because he was jealous?" Beth asked.

"Well yeah! Anytime you and that guy John start talking his eyes practically start shooting fire." Maggie laughed then made a serious face. "Speaking of John. I want you to keep your distance from him for a while. He's been flirting with some of the women here and it's making them a little uncomfortable. So far, that's all that's happened so maybe he's just a hopeless flirt but you don't want to encourage him."

"I was just talking to him."

"I know honey but sometimes just talking is all the encouragement they need. Just don't back yourself into a corner around him, okay?" Maggie asked.

Beth nodded. "I'm going to go see what Carol is up to." She hugged her sister. "See you later."

...

Daryl stabbed three walkers in the head one after the other. _Oh yeah, that felt good. _The one good thing about having to kill walkers was that it was a great way to relieve stress. And Daryl was definitely stressed. Granted, he was in a good mood but he kept thinking about Beth. Once he thought about Beth, he started thinking about John. That made him frustrated. He didn't think Beth would develop feelings for John but he couldn't blame her if she did. John was younger than Daryl and maybe he was more her type. _But the way she looked at him..._

"Daryl! Watch out!" Tyreese slashed a walker's throat as it came ambling at Daryl.

"Thanks man." Daryl said. "Musta been distracted."

"Thinking about Beth?" Tyreese asked.

They were outside the hotel killing off a few stragglers while the others went inside. Once the street was relatively clear, they would head inside to help the others.

"You're not goin'to start givin' me advice now too are ya?" Daryl asked.

Tyreese chuckled. "No, I figure you've had plenty. I was just going to say how you made the rest of us guys look bad with that kiss. The girl's will be wanting the others to step up their game now."

Daryl smirked. "Wanna know somethin'?"

"Sure." Tyreese said.

"I ain't got no idea what I'm doin'. I was channelin' Merle. I did learn a few things from him over the years." Daryl chuckled. "He may have been an ass to you all, I'll admit that. But back before all this, Merle was good with the ladies."

Tyreese laughed. "I wouldn't tell anyone else. No one needs another reason to hate Merle."

They both laughed and walked in to find the others.

...

Beth was walking around outside trying to locate Carol when she spotted Michonne.

"Hey. What are you doing?" Beth asked.

"Fixing to check fences. Why don't you join me?"

Beth shrugged. "Sure, why not? I was going to find Carol but she's got Heather and Mike so she's probably okay anyway."

They walked on in silence.

"Michonne?" Michonne looked at her. "What do you think of John?"

"Why do you ask?"

"No particular reason. He seems okay but some of the others seem concerned and I thought I might be missing something." Beth said.

Michonne was silent for a minute. "I don't trust him. He's slick and he's not being totally honest. That's a bad combination in my opinion. I think you should be wary of him."

"Will you show me how to defend myself?" Beth asked.

"You mean against people?" Michonne asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah. I mean, I can kill a walker now. But what about attacks from people who aren't walkers?"

Michonne nodded thoughtfully. "That's not a bad idea. Alright."

Michonne set down her katana. She motioned for Beth to stand in front of her.

"Alright. Turn around. I'm going to come up behind you and wrap my arm around you. I'll tell you what to do next." Michonne ordered.

Beth nodded and even though she knew it was coming Michonne still startled her. She was so silent it was unnerving at times.

"Alright. If someone has you in a hold like this I want you to take your mouth and bite down as hard as you can, stomp on there foot and simultaneously twist like this so that you can break the hold and be free." Michonne commanded.

They practiced a few times with Beth pretending to bite Michonne but Michonne made her actually stomp on her foot. After a few times, she maneuvered herself free easily.

"I did it Michonne!" Beth cried.

Michonne smiled. "Yes, you did. You're a strong woman Beth. With the right training you can be a warrior."

"Who trained you?"

Michonne grew silent. "My husband was in the military. He taught me everything he knew. He felt it was important for a woman to know how to protect herself."

"I didn't know you were married. He sounds like he was a good man."

"He was very honorable. He was the only man I ever loved."

Beth wanted to ask what had happened to him but she didn't want to pry. This was the most she had ever heard Michonne open up and she didn't want to ruin the moment.

"Let's practice some more moves and you can try them on Daryl." Michonne joked.

Beth laughed.

...

Rick and Tyreese loaded the last mattress they could fit onto the backs of the trucks. Keely and Carl were in charge of blankets and they came out with their arms loaded down. Daryl hadn't found any weapons but he hadn't really thought they would. Sasha had grabbed a few canned goods left behind that she had found as well.

"Want to hit that drug store we passed on the way over? Can probably find all the girl's things in there too." Rick asked Daryl.

"Sounds like a plan. I think we're done here." Daryl said.

They all loaded up and drove down to the drug store where Rick and Tyreese scanned the inside and took down a few walkers before everyone else proceeded.

Daryl was getting tired but he didn't want to admit it. He wasn't totally up to par yet and he could definitely tell.

The others went inside to begin gathering supplies but Daryl hung back. Carl noticed.

"You okay?" Carl asked him.

"Yeah. Just need to catch my breath."

Carl smirked. "Getting old sucks huh?"

Daryl gave him a look. "You're a regular lil' smartass now aren't ya?"

He adjusted Carl's hat affectionately. Carl smiled at him and walked inside.

...

Beth had just finished up watching Judith while Carol cooked dinner when everyone began to file in the mess hall. She looked up with her heart in her throat hoping it was Daryl and the others but it wasn't.

She situated Judith in her chair with a plate Carol had fixed and watched while Judith happily began to stuff bits of food in her mouth with her little fingers. They were having their version of spaghetti which was just noodles and tomato sauce with a little garlic powder thrown in for flavor.

"Hey there sweetheart. You do a really good job with that little girl there." John said from beside her.

She glanced over. "Thanks."

"Can I escort you to dinner?" He asked.

Beth looked around and saw Michonne walking towards them. "Maybe some other time."

John placed a hand on her arm. "You sure?"

The tip of a katana appeared under his nose.

"I believe the lady said no." Michonne said.

"Listen I was just trying to have a little conversation here -" John began.

"Just give me a reason." Michonne threatened.

"Crazy women." John muttered under his breath as he walked to get in line.

Beth let out a breath. "Wow. That was the first time he ever got pushy with me."

Michonne eyed her as she slid her katana back into it's casing. "You need to stand up for yourself with that one. Put him in his place. He's not going to last long, the other's will see sure to that."

By "others", Beth knew Michonne was mostly referring to Daryl. She could begin to see why John made some of the other women uncomfortable and she knew it was only a matter of time. It was sad to her. Why couldn't people just come together in this cold world?

Wasn't it enough to fight the dead without having to fight the living as well?

****Side Note: If any of my readers are also shipping Michonne/Daryl or are curious, check out "What Future is There?" by the ramblin rose. She's got some good stuff going there and she also updates mostly every day like me! Check her out and leave her a review if you're curious! :)**

**Once again, thank you all to your continued support! Happy Reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note: This is a relatively short chapter but I covered a lot of heavy stuff so I didn't want to carry it out too far. As always I appreciate your thoughts/reviews. I can't tell you enough how much those reviews mean to me! **

Daryl was ready to get this run over with and get back to base. He was so glad they were almost finished. They believed they had everything that they needed to find in this one store. Daryl hoped so. He was really ready to be able to relax a little when they returned.

All of a sudden a shrill scream cut through the air. Standing up straight he grabbed his bow and took off for the door with the others behind him.

"That was Keely!" Sasha yelled.

"Who tha hell let her go out alone?!" Daryl shouted.

They reached the front but it was too late. There were two walkers tearing into her as if she were the Last Supper. The box she had been carrying was turned over; the contents spilling into the street.

Daryl and Rick marched over and took them out quickly. Their knives made a squishing noise as they sunk into the rotted zombie flesh.

Keely was still alert but her arms and neck were bleeding and Daryl knew it was only a matter of minutes before she drew her last breath.

"Dammit!" He yelled.

"It's my fault! I thought she would be okay. She just came out to put a box in the car!" Sasha cried. She collapsed into her brother's arms and he just held her while she cried.

Rick took Keely's hand and squeezed. She was trying to focus.

"Te...tell Will...love em..." She gasped.

"We'll tell him. I'm so sorry this happened." Rick said softly to her.

"Don't... let me ... turn." She said.

Daryl watched as her eyes glazed over, her gaze forever staring into the distance, eyes wide open. Rick slowly leaned over and closed them. He put his hand over his mouth and ran his fingers through his hair.

Daryl was pacing back and forth. Everything had been going so well. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not today. He was painfully reminded that it could just as easily have been Beth that got attacked by walkers. That thought did not sit well with him.

Sasha was still sobbing and Tyreese was trying to soothe her.

Carl was standing off to the side, motionless. He pulled out his gun and walked over to Keely.

Rick flinched. "Carl-"

Daryl was faster and reached out a hand and slowly pushed the barrel of Carl's gun down. "Easy." Daryl said.

"We need to kill her before she turns." Carl stated.

"Why don't you and the others go grab the rest of the boxes from inside and get ready to head out? Daryl and I will take care of this. We need to be ready to leave after the shot is fired." Rick told Carl softly.

Carl nodded and Sasha and Tyreese followed him back inside.

Daryl placed a hand on Rick's shoulder. "Hey man, I can take care of this."

"No. It's okay. I've got it." Rick told him.

Daryl studied him a long moment before he nodded carefully. "Alright. I'll go help the others."

Rick pulled out his gun as Daryl was walking away. He felt bad that this had happened but a small part of him was relieved it hadn't been any of the original group. He had come to think of them as the family he never had and he wasn't willing to part with them. They accepted him for who he was and that was rare.

He heard the echo of the gunshot as he stepped into the store.

...

Beth was sitting in the living area with the others when they heard Michonne's voice over the walkie.

"They're back." Michonne's voice crackled.

"We're coming." Glenn replied.

Beth's heart was racing as she rushed to get her jacket on. They all walked down in silence and as usual everyone was holding their breath waiting to see everyone's face before relaxing.

The trucks pulled up inside and Mike and Heather rushed to help Michonne close the gate while Glenn picked off a walker that was standing around just outside.

Beth quickly spotted Daryl and ran to him. She threw herself into his arms and immediately realized something was wrong. His whole body was stiff and his face was weary.

"Daryl?" She questioned.

He glanced down at her wearily. "We lost Keely."

Beth gasped. "Oh, no!"

You didn't ask how someone died anymore. Any time someone was lost these days it was always walker related.

The news spread quickly around the group and all around gasps could be heard. She knew the exact moment Will found out about Keely.

"No! No! No!" Will yelled. He dropped to his knees with tears streaming.

She remembered the others telling her he had lost his girlfriend right before he had run up with the Governor. She knew he had to be devastated.

"Hershel." Rick called.

Hershel went over to him. "Can you give him something to sedate him? We don't want him hurting himself." Rick said.

"Sure. Maggie? Glenn? Can you take him up? I'll be along in a minute." Hershel said.

Maggie and Glenn grasped Will under the shoulders. He was sobbing uncontrollably and they practically carried him away. It was heartbreaking to watch.

Beth turned to Daryl. He was staring off into the night, not saying anything. She touched his hand.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

He stared at her.

Without saying a word, his arms enveloped her in a hug.

...

It took 3 hours for the group to unload the truck of supplies and for everyone to get settled. The mattresses had been placed to the side until the morning when they would be taken to rooms and the other mattresses removed.

The group had all worked in silence, no one having the heart to say anything. It was accepted as a moment of silence in remembrance of Keely.

Daryl walked back to his cell slowly after they finished. His ribs were protesting painfully with each step. He walked into his room and changed into a clean shirt then sat down on the edge of his bed with a sigh.

His emotions were running high. It wasn't so much that he was that sad over losing Keely. No, he felt bad about it, but his mind kept picturing Beth instead of Keely and that was what was so hard to wrap his mind around.

He hadn't wanted to get attached to anyone. That was what happened when you got attached, you got your heart torn out.

He heard movement in the room next to him and listened. He could hear Beth moving around and he hadn't thought she was still awake.

Without thinking, he got up and found himself in front of her door.

He knocked softly.

...

Beth knew the exact moment when Daryl walked into his room. She didn't have to listen hard for him tonight, she heard his heavy footsteps. She didn't know exactly what was going on with him.

She knew he didn't have feelings for Keely but he was acting sad and out of sorts and she didn't know how to comfort him. Sometimes you just had to give Daryl his space and let him come to you she had figured out.

She had just changed into a her pajamas, which consisted of a long sleeved shirt and a pair of jogging pants when she heard a knock on her door.

Startled, she went to answer and found Daryl there.

Her eyes drank him in. He looked so exhausted and beneath the exhaustion she could see the pain in his eyes. _His ribs must be hurting also_, she thought.

She stepped back to let him in and shut the door behind him.

He sat down on the edge of her bed.

She sat down next to him. "Want to talk about it?" She asked softly.

"Not yet." He replied.

She nodded.

She got down on her knees in front of him and took off his boots one by one. She could feel his eyes burning into her. She reached for his shirt and pulled it off slowly.

She tried not to wince at the faint bruising that was still showing on his ribs. His scars told the story of the battles he had been through.

He still hadn't said anything but his eyes reflected his pain. She pushed him gently back onto her bed and climbed in next to him. She reached to turn off the light and pulled the blanket over them.

In the darkness she felt his arms circle her waist and pull her close.


	22. Chapter 22

**Authors' Note: Ok, I know this is the shortest one I have ever written everyone but I think you all are going to like it. I decided to make this a chapter all in itself. I didn't think it needed anything more. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! As usual, if you like/dislike, let me know! It's a crazy busy week for me but if I know you all are reading and enjoying I'm more apt to try to get _something out! _Thank you all! I hope it lives up to your expectations! :)**

Beth woke up sweating and wrapped around a hard male body. She was momentarily disoriented. Then she remembered.

_Daryl._

She was draped across him like a blanket and she quickly learned that Daryl put out a _lot_ of body heat. Peering around she noticed it was still dark out so it must not be morning yet.

Daryl was still breathing deeply so she slowly began to slide away from him a little in an attempt to cool off.

His arm tightened around her waist like an iron vise. Startled she peered at him in the darkness trying to see him. She couldn't tell if his eyes were open.

"Goin' somewhere?" He asked.

"I was just trying to get cooled off some. It's kind of hot in here."

"Yea, it is." He said softly.

His hands were now slowly sliding up and down her back. It was making her tingle with excitement. She lowered her head down and his lips met hers, hard and demanding. Groaning, she slipped her leg in between his and pressed herself against his body. She felt his arms tighten around her in response. She felt lightheaded as his tongue stroked the inside of her mouth.

He broke the kiss and pulled back. "You have to stop me now if this ain't what you want. Tell me now." He rasped.

She shook her head. "Please don't stop."

He rolled over until he had her pinned beneath him.

"I'll try my best to make this as comfortable as possible. I hope you won't be disappointed." He mumbled.

"You could never disappoint me Daryl unless you stopped right now."

He claimed her lips again in a soft kiss. She broke the kiss and lifted her arms. He pulled her shirt up and tossed it across the room. His hands stroked a trail from her neck to her breasts where his mouth replaced his hands. She lifted against him.

Her body had never felt this fire before. She couldn't believe she was acting so _wantonly._

His mouth moved across her breasts and she cried out. He came back to cover her mouth with his own.

"Shh, there Angel. We don't won't to alarm anyone." Daryl whispered against her lips.

Beth bit her lip and nodded. "Sorry." She whispered.

She grabbed his face for another kiss and stroked her hands up and down his muscled chest.

Daryl moved his lips down her body and stopped at her pants. Hooking his thumbs into the band he pulled them down along with her underwear.

"Lace?" He muttered as he fingered her panties.

She flushed and was glad he couldn't see her. She hadn't told anyone about what she had asked Sasha to get and she was pretty sure Sasha hadn't said anything. It was a good thing she had tried them on last night.

He tossed her panties and pants over his shoulder and pressed more kisses down her body.

...

Daryl thought he might die when he felt her lacy panties. The type of women he had been with didn't wear lace. It was so dainty. She was twisting underneath him moaning and he knew what she wanted but he couldn't give it to her yet.

He knew the first time was a little hard and uncomfortable. He had to make sure she was ready. Only problem was, it's not like he was a pro at the whole seduction thing. However, she seemed to like everything he was doing just fine so he kept at it.

When he reached the place between her legs he heard her grow quiet. Lightly he traced his fingers over the triangle there.

"Part your legs for me." He coaxed.

Shyly and ever so slowly she parted her legs an inch. He reached out and spread them even further. He slipped his finger into her and she cried out and muffled her face with a pillow.

She was so soft and tight. He kept stroking her and heard her breathing quicken. She began panting and bucking against his hand. He reached out a hand to steady her a little and kept up his teasing and stroking.

He felt the moment she came. Her whole body tensed and she moaned, bucking against his hand. He thought it was the most erotic thing ever.

"Daryl!" She cried out his name and his body stiffened in reaction.

...

Beth flopped back into the mattress with a sigh of contentment. The romance novels she used to steal from Maggie came nowhere close to describing the pleasure she had felt.

She was breathing hard. She heard Daryl fumbling with his pants and the tear of plastic as he must have slipped a condom on.

She couldn't believe what they had just done or what they were fixing to do. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined this.

His body came over her and she could feel him looking at her.

"It's uh, gonna be a little uncomfortable. I'm sorry, wish I knew a way round that." He mumbled.

"It's okay. I trust you." She replied.

He stiffened slightly at her words and then resumed kissing her. He kept kissing her as he situated himself and then he entered her slowly and she broke the kiss to moan softly.

It was slightly uncomfortable and he felt so large inside her. She wished she could see him.

He pushed deeper and she felt the twinge of pain but as he kept moving it slowly diminished until she felt the rise of pleasure building inside of her again.

She placed her hands on his arms and felt the bunch and shift of the muscles as he pushed into her.

They rocked together slowly until she thought she might die. The wave of pleasure rose again and again until finally it came crashing down over her in waves and she could feel Daryl's body grow taut as he groaned and found his own release seconds later.

He pulled out and rolled off of her. She curled into his side and he grabbed her hand, stroking his finger into her palm.

"Please say somethin'." He murmured.

"Can we do it again?" Beth asked.

Daryl chuckled. "That works. Thanks." He said breathlessly.

...

Daryl didn't remember much afterwards just that he woke up as the sun was shining through the small window of the room. Beth was curled into his side, still sleeping. Her hair was partially covering her face and the blanket pulled up to her chin.

He slowly inched out from under her and grabbed his clothes. He couldn't believe they had actually had sex. It had been a long time since Daryl had been with anyone and none of the other times came no where close to comparing with Beth.

"An angel." He whispered.

He finished dressing and slid into the hallway easing the door shut.

He turned and almost ran into Michonne, who was leaving her room as well.

She raised her eyebrows at him.

He cleared his throat. "Uh, Good Mornin'." He said quickly and walked away.

Michonne smiled and shook her head, following him out the door. "I guess it's a _very_ good morning for some of us." She said to herself.

...

Beth woke up and found Daryl gone. She was a little disappointed that he wasn't there when she woke but she knew he might need some time. She wasn't so sure s_he_ didn't need time as well.

Last night had been amazing but where did that leave their relationship?


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: Thanks for the GREAT reviews for last chapter! I am glad everyone enjoyed it. Just a thought though, if you're _only looking for the sex scenes, you're not going to find a ton in my story. Yes, I write them but it's not all that my story is about. I like to focus on the other characters as well. :) This is a long chapter but I must warn you. I may get one more out tomorrow but my next one might not come out again until Sunday. The next few days are super busy and I really doubt I will have the time to write. I read this one a ton of times before deciding to post. I hope you like it! Let me know how I did! Thanks! :)_**

Daryl went into breakfast wearing an almost stupid grin on his face. He had only went to Beth at first to seek comfort. He couldn't ever seem to chase away the demons that sometimes haunted him at night. He didn't know quite how things would be between him and Beth now but he did know he felt better this morning than he thought he ever had

"What's up with you?" Glenn asked as he sat down at Daryl's table to wait on Maggie.

"What you mean?" Daryl asked with a frown.

"You walking around with this big grin on your face like you just got laid or something." Glenn joked.

Daryl raised his brows at him but didn't say anything.

Glenn's smile disappeared as a look of recognition crossed his face. "Oh my God, you _did_ get laid!" Glenn whispered.

Daryl wanted to smack him. "Hey keep your voice down! You tryna' get me killed by Maggie?" Daryl whispered back.

Glenn sat there a moment then busted into a grin again. "Oh, man, you are _so_ in trouble." He snickered.

"Shut it." Daryl murmured as his eyes zeroed in on Beth who had just walked in the door.

...

Beth felt Daryl's eyes on her as soon as she walked in the door. She could feel his eyes traveling every inch of her body and her body responded immediately.

_Was this how it was going to be now? Was he going to be able to turn her on with just a look?_

She met his gaze shyly and walked to get in line for food.

She wondered if anyone would notice anything different about her. When she had looked into her mirror after getting dressed this morning she thought she had looked a little flushed. She certainly didn't want the whole group to know what she was doing with Daryl behind closed doors.

_Or rather, what she planned on doing again_, she thought and smiled to herself.

She would relive this morning over and over again in her mind.

She walked over to serve herself some food. Sometimes Carol would serve them as they came in or, if she was tired, she would leave it sitting out so they could serve themselves.

After last night, Beth wasn't surprised.

Everyone was tired. It had been a long night after learning about Keely. She glanced around and noticed that Hershel and Will were missing. _Will must still be in the infirmary._ She also noticed Sasha and Tyreese were absent and she wondered if they were doing watch.

She took her food and went and sat at the table with Daryl, Maggie, and Glenn.

"Good morning." She said.

Glenn snickered and Maggie cast him a puzzled look. She rolled her eyes. "Mornin'." She mumbled.

Glenn kept sneaking glances and grinning at her. _ Oh my God, he must know. _Her face grew warm at the thought and she snuck a peek at Daryl.

He was chewing on his food, seemingly lost in thought.

Carol had tried out a new biscuit recipe. They didn't get biscuits much anymore so they were a real treat. She also had grits and some honey they had found from a run. It was the comfort food they all needed after a long and emotional day yesterday.

"I'm so ready to get these new mattresses in the rooms. It will be nice to sleep on an actual bed for once." Maggie said.

Beth nodded. "It will give us more room too. I almost feel like I will roll off that cot sometimes. It's not big enough for two-" Beth paused, "pillows." She said instead.

She looked at Maggie and Glenn but they were only nodding and heartily digging into their food. Glancing at Daryl, she saw he was looking at her. He winked. Blushing, she turned back to her food.

...

It took the group four hours to get everyone's room situated. There weren't quite enough mattresses for everyone but with the spare cot mattresses, they were able to improvise enough so that everyone would be more comfortable.

Daryl was headed to the storage shed they had outside to put the last of the metal springs from the cots when he almost ran into John, nearly knocking him over.

"Watch where you goin'!" Daryl yelled as he swerved at the last minute to prevent knocking the guy in the head.

John ignored him and kept going.

Daryl just shook his head and continued to load the springs inside.

...

Beth had finished her duties for the day and was outside under a tree reading. She hadn't seen Daryl in a while and she was starting to miss him. They had been working in different areas today and they had all been so busy they hadn't had much time to do anything.

It was a pretty nice day out. It was cold but the sun was shining so she had settled into a little spot by a tree she favored to enjoy the sunshine and read a little.

"Reading a book?" John's voice startled her as he appeared from behind the tree.

She only nodded and tried to keep reading. He knelt beside her and pushed her book down.

"Cat got your tongue? What's the deal with you and that redneck anyhow? He's not who I would picture you being with. You need a real man, not a country hick." He said.

That made her blood boil. "Oh? And this is your business how?" Beth snapped.

John seemed startled by her snippy attitude. He quickly recovered.

"A pretty little thing like you needs a strong man like myself to take you under his wing. Give you a taste of some real fun." He smiled.

"I think she doesn't want your company. Maybe you should find something else to do?" Carl walked up to Beth's side.

Carl looked so fierce that John seemed unsure of himself. He stood up and stared at them.

"You better watch yourself boy. You need to show some respect. Maybe I should teach you some manners." John said threateningly.

Beth couldn't believe this was the same man who had been so well mannered the other night at dinner. Maybe she was a fool for trusting people so easily. But she wasn't about to let him talk to Carl that way. Carl was her friend, almost like a brother to her.

"You'll do no such thing! I suggest you leave before I make you." She stood up.

She tensed. She was bluffing like Michonne had taught her and she prayed it would work.

It did. Finally, John turned on his heel and stalked off muttering to himself.

Carl looked up at Beth. "There's something going on with that guy. We need to tell Daryl or my Dad."

"I'll take care of it." Beth told him.

"Okay. If you're sure..?" Carl was staring hard at her.

Beth nodded. "I'm sure."

...

Daryl had been searching all over for Beth and he kept getting stopped by different people to make small talk. He was tired and he was cranky. He missed Beth.

Ever since he had had a taste of her comfort, his body yearned for more. It was a strange revelation for him to want someone so badly.

"Hey, got a minute?" Carl asked Daryl.

Daryl sighed. "What?" He snapped.

"It's about Beth. Something happened today with John-" Carl began.

Daryl grabbed Carl's shoulders. "What happened?" He said a little loudly.

"If you'll let me finish! He was making her uncomfortable. She had to threaten him to get him to leave."

Daryl was seeing red. He was already pissed off and this was just feuling the fire.

"Where is the little prick?" He hissed.

Carl shook his head. "I don't know. He took off."

Daryl narrowed his eyes and walked away.

...

Beth had already asked three people where Daryl was and every time she had just missed him.

"Where is he?" She mumbled to herself.

The base wasn't that big so they must be narrowily missing each other. She was rounding the back of the buildings when she ran smack into someone. She looked up thinking that she had found Daryl.

It wasn't Daryl. It was John.

He grabbed her arm. "Well, well, well. Looking for me sweetheart? I think you've got a thing for me." He sneered.

She tried to pull away but his grip was strong. Her knife was in her boot and she couldn't get to it.

He pushed her up against the brick of the building and she felt her head smack the brick.

Moaning from the stinging she closed her eyes momentarily.

His hand snaked up her shirt. "Oh yeah. You like it rough, huh?"

She thrashed from side to side and then kicked out with her leg. It hit her target and he groaned and grabbed between his legs.

Beth took off running, her blood pounding through her body.

John caught up to her and tackled her. She screamed as they fell down and rolled to the fence. She remembered all of Michonne's advice and slipped her knife out as they came to a stop. She slashed him down the arm and he started pouring blood.

"You bitch!" He yelled. "You're gonna pay for that!"

...

Daryl was walking to the building where he and Beth's rooms were when he heard the scream. He paused and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He was reminded of when Keely had died seconds before he took off at a run; his knife gripped in his hand.

All around him, the group went into a panic. When someone screamed, it usually meant walker trouble. Everyone was frantic as they tried to find the source and see who wasn't accounted for.

Daryl heard muffled shouting and tracking the noises, he ran behind the buildings and did a quick sweep with his eyes.

Further down he could make out two people rolling around on the ground and he saw a flash of blonde hair as they struggled.

_Beth._

His heart leaped into his throat as he took off at a run.

...

Beth was getting tired. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold John off and she hadn't seen anyone coming to help yet. Maybe she hadn't screamed loud enough.

She opened her mouth to scream again and John reared back to slap her.

She flinched but his hand never connected with her face.

She opened her eyes and saw Daryl with his hand wrapped like an iron vise around John's wrist. His expression scared her with it's intensity.

Briefly his eyes flicked to her and she realized she was covered in blood but it wasn't hers. It was John's blood. He was still bleeding and she realized she must have knicked an artery when she had slashed at him.

Daryl put his boot on John's ass and kicked him to the side.

Beth rolled out of the way and shakily got to her feet as she saw Carol and Michonne running over. Carol grabbed her in a hug while Michonne stood off to the side accessing the situation.

"Jackass!" Daryl yelled. "You think ya can hurt my family and get away with it?" He snarled.

He had grabbed John by the shirt and was holding him up.

John had went very pale at this point and wasn't even fighting Daryl.

"Daryl." Michonne muttered and touched his shoulder.

Daryl flinched. "Don't fuckin' touch me." He snapped.

Michonne backed off. No one had seen Daryl this worked up since the Governor had been spotted.

Daryl's eyes slid to Beth. "Ya hurt?" He asked.

She shook her head no and stepped from Carol's embrace. Others were starting to run down to them.

She walked up to Daryl carefully and he tensed. John's eyes were half open and Daryl still had his shirt bunched in his fist.

"Daryl. He's losing too much blood." Beth said softly.

Everyone had come to a stop and they were carefully watching the situation. Beth saw Michonne walk over and speak to Rick and some of the others.

...

Daryl didn't know what had come over him. He had seen Beth covered in all that blood and that bastard putting his hands on her. He couldn't seem to unclench his fist even though John had stopped struggling some time ago and was hanging by a thread.

Daryl swallowed a lump in his throat. Beth was looking at him with concern.

"Daryl, it's okay. I'm fine, let him be." She said.

At this point a few walkers had come to the fence and were trying to come through it at the smell of the fresh blood. Their raspy moans were filling the air as they struggled.

Daryl thought about Merle. He thought about what his brother would have done. He thought about Beth and what would have happened to him if he would have lost her. He thought about all this pent up anger he had over the kind of life they were forced to live. He thought about all the times he had been dealt a shitty hand.

He came to a decision.

He pushed John back into the fence and the walkers grabbed for him in a frenzy. John's eyes were momentarily startled as they tore into him through the fence.

Not saying anything, Daryl strode past Beth and the rest of the group and kept on walking.

...

Beth stood there stunned as the walkers feasted on what parts of John they could reach through the fence.

Part of her was relieved that he wouldn't be a threat any longer and another part of her was sad that it had come to this. Once again, they had forgotten that the living could be as much of a threat as the dead.

Rick and Tyreese were the first to react and they grabbed John's body and pulled him away from the fence. Rick looked at Michonne and she and Glenn rushed to the fence and stabbed the walkers.

"Mike, why don't you take the women inside and get them something warm to drink or something. We'll be along in a minute." Rick said.

Mike nodded and he ushered Beth and everyone else away from the back and around to the front. Beth looked for Daryl but couldn't see him.

She broke away from the group and went towards their building determined to find him.

"Beth!" Maggie called.

Beth ignored her and kept walking.

She had to find Daryl.

...

Daryl was pacing his room. He didn't know what to feel at the moment. He had lots of emotions running through him and they all scared him. Daryl didn't do emotions very well.

He heard a knock at his door.

"What!" He yelled.

The door opened a fraction and Beth peeked her head in. "I wanted to see if you were okay?"

"Yeah, well, now ya see me and I'm fine." Daryl snapped.

Beth came inside and shut the door.

Undeterred by his surly attitude she walked to stand in front of him. She could see that he was trying to hold it all in.

Sighing, she stepped into him and wrapped her arms around him.

He stiffened at first but then his whole body went lax as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I couldn't stop." He muttered.

"It's okay. You were trying to protect me." Beth whispered.

"No. Don't make me out to be a hero! It ain't right. I killed him." He said and sat down heavily on the bed.

She dropped to her knees in front of him. "You're a good man Daryl."

"Nah, I ain't. That out there? I'm becomin' just like him."

"Like who?" Beth questioned.

"My Pops. I'm becomin' my Pops." He stated.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note: Alright everyone, this is it from me until Sunday probably. It's a long one! You all should feel lucky that I managed to get this one out (haha), it's been a BUSY day. I hope you all enjoy it, there's a lot going on in this chapter. Please disregard any errors I may have made, I was bone tired this morning when I wrote it. As usual, please give me some feedback. I want to know how I did! And, of course, thank you all for taking the time to write me such lovely reviews! :)**

"I don't understand." Beth simply said.

Daryl gave a long sigh. "My Pops went to jail for murder. It was long before all this happened. He wasn't a good man. He beat on my Ma and he beat Merle an' me."

Beth was shocked. She didn't know that about his father. She wondered if anyone in the group knew. Not likely, as Daryl didn't ever open up about his personal life willingly.

"You see? I'm becomin' just like him. I didn't have to push that guy an' I did." Daryl wouldn't look at her.

"Daryl you don't know that he would have lived! I knicked an artery with my knife. He was bleeding out! If anything I'm just as much responsible for his death as you." Beth said.

Daryl was silent.

"I'm going to go check on the others before they come looking for us. I'll be back in a bit. Please don't go anywhere." She said.

Daryl finally looked at her. "Where am I gonna go?"

...

It took Beth a few minutes but she finally found the others crowded into the living area. She stopped outside in the hall before going in.

Even though windows surrounded the room that used to be a computer room, she was still mostly hidden by shadows. It was dark in the hallway and she paused to listen to the others when she heard Daryl's name.

"My wife and I would like to apologize for John. We feel partly responsible for having brought him in with us." Mike was saying.

"It's not your fault. We've had encounters with other bad people before. You do what you have to. You and your wife seem like fine people and you are welcome to stay as long as no one else has an issue." Rick said.

Beth didn't hear anyone protest but she couldn't see all of their faces without giving herself away.

"Did you see Daryl push him?" Sasha asked in a low voice. "That was scary."

"He did what he had to do. John would have raped Beth. If not Beth, then it could have been any of the rest of us women." Michonne's voice carried out.

"I don't blame Daryl either. I didn't like the way John always leered at me when I served him meals. Daryl's not a bad man. He's had a rough time of it but he will pull through." Carol said.

"Are you sure he's stable? He seems like he's gone off the deep end a little." Maggie spoke up.

Beth heard Rick clear his throat and she knew everyone was thinking of when _he_ had gone off the deep end. They had _all_ had their moments at one time or another.

"I'm not in a position to say much about people going crazy." Rick began, "You all know I have had my share of hard times. I think I've become much more stable now and that wouldn't have happened without Daryl. He took over my job as leader so I could get better. He's been doing a fine job too, and I for one, can personally say it's not an easy task. You take the fault for every death that happens. It's a lot of responsibility." Rick cleared his throat. "You all were there for me when I lost it and I think as a group we should stand behind Daryl in this. He was protecting one of our own, and we can't fault him for that."

Everyone was quiet as they pondered Rick's words. Standing in the hallway, Beth felt such a relief to know that Rick thought that way. A lot of them depended on his opinion still and what he said made perfect sense.

Maybe it was time for Rick to regain his position.

...

Beth stepped into the room as if she had just entered the building and all eyes swung to her.

"Beth!" Maggie cried and ran to embrace her.

"It's okay sis, I'm fine." Beth said.

Everyone was still staring at her and it was then she realized that she was still covered in John's blood. She had forgotten to change.

"Beth, sweetheart, are you hurt?" Hershel hobbled to her to ask.

"No, Daddy. I would have been if Daryl hadn't come. It would have also been a lot worse if Michonne hadn't taught me to defend myself." Beth stated.

Everyone's eyes swung to Michonne. Michonne simply stared back at them.

"You taught her?" Hershel asked.

"Yes. Every woman should know the basics." Michonne said. She was clearly expecting some type of argument.

Hershel went over and laid a hand on Michonne's shoulder to give it a squeeze. "Thank you." He whispered.

Michonne's eyes widened momentarily. "You're welcome." She mumbled.

"How is he?" Rick asked her.

"He's...he's blaming himself. He was in quite a mood. I think he needs some time to work it out." Beth stated.

"Nothin' to work out." Daryl's voice rang out from the doorway.

...

"Daryl! Are you okay?" Carol rushed over to ask him. She had Lil' Asskicker in her arms and the baby reached for Daryl.

Daryl couldn't ever resist her so he picked her up and she babbled happily into his ear.

"I'm alright. We havin' a meetin'?" Daryl asked.

"We were just discussing what happened. I was telling the others that I thought you might need a break for a while. I'd be happy to switch off with you and take on the responsibility again." Rick told him.

Daryl pondered this for a moment."Ya think I can't handle it?" He asked.

"No. It's not that. You are more than capable. I know how hard it is to lead. Everyone needs a break every once in a while."

He stared at Daryl and Daryl saw some of the same emotions that were reflected in him in Rick as well.

He nodded. "Alright. I guess I could use a break." He bounced Judith up and down in his arms, making her laugh.

"Is everyone okay with that decision?" Rick asked the group.

Everyone murmured their agreement. "Fine. It's settled then. We'll give Daryl a break and I'll take back over leadership duties for a while."

Daryl handed Judith back to Carol. "Uh, I uh, came over to say I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me earlier." He said to everyone.

Hershel was the first to speak. "Thank you Daryl. You saved my daughter's life. How could I blame you? Look at all the good you have done."

"It ain't nothin'." Daryl shuffled his feet.

"Hey, it's okay man. I was kind of shocked but I can understand why you did it. I mean, if we had let him stay, he would have been a threat to our safety. If we had let him go after patching him up, he could pull a Governor and come back and attack. Sometimes, you have to kill or be killed. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same had it been Maggie out there." Glenn said and squeezed Maggie's hand. She smiled at him.

Daryl couldn't believe everyone was justifying him killing John.

"John was very troubled." Heather added. "I think there may have been more to what had happened with our group getting ambushed before coming here."

"Y'all don't think I'm crazy?" Daryl asked.

There were a few no's and the rest of the others murmured their agreement as well.

"We would be worried if you weren't just a little crazy. Who can be normal in this world?" Carol joked.

They all chuckled a little.

Glenn stood up. "I better go relieve Tyreese at the guard shack. Wanna come with?" He asked Maggie.

Daryl didn't miss the wink he gave her and he was reminded of how much he missed being alone with Beth.

He hoped they were still okay after he had pushed her away earlier.

...

Beth felt the moment Daryl's eyes locked onto her and she looked up. His gaze was hot on hers as he stared at her silently.

Maggie waved at her and said goodnight as she followed Glenn out.

Beth got up and walked over to Hershel. "Goodnight Daddy." She whispered and hugged him hard. He grabbed her hand and she kissed his cheek as she pulled away.

"Goodnight sweetheart." He said.

Daryl was waiting for her by the door. All around them the others were gathering their things to go to their own beds.

They walked at a leisurely pace back to their rooms. Michonne passed them in the hallway with a slight smile as she bid them goodnight. She shut her door and the silence was deafening in the hallway between them.

She didn't know what to do so she stood there for a moment fidgeting. Daryl was watching her.

"Tired?" He inquired.

She glanced up at him and could see the raw need reflected in his eyes and it took her breath away. She slowly shook her head no, as words seemed impossible at the moment.

He opened his door and gestured for her to go inside. She went inside and stood there waiting as he closed his door.

...

Daryl had no idea what he was doing with himself. He knew he shouldn't want her in this emotional state but he couldn't help himself.

Even blood splattered, she was appealing to him. He wasn't used to anyone having that much of a hold over him. It irritated yet confused him at the same time.

She stood there kind of awkwardly in the center of his room just waiting.

Her hair was matted to her head and her shirt was covered with dried blood. Her arms had a faint reddish tint. She looked almost defeated.

He went to his clothes and grabbed out something clean and situated his crossbow. She watched him curiously.

He reached for her hand. "Come with me." He said.

She grabbed his hand and followed him out without a word.

...

Beth wasn't sure what Daryl was up to. One moment she thought they were going to have sex and now he was taking her _outside_?

He had a determined look on his face as he pulled her along behind him. He reached the door to the showers and realization dawned.

_They were going to shower?_

Her insides started that throbbing they had been doing since the first time Daryl had touched her. It was a slow pleasant ache.

He opened the door and reached around until he felt the lamp they left on the floor just in case. Shutting the door and locking it behind them, he switched the lamp on.

It cast a small orange glow but it was enough to light up a shower stall. Daryl perched it on a ledge and turned to switch on the shower.

"Take off ya clothes." He said softly.

Beth's body was trembling with need. Her legs were quaking as she removed her blood stained clothing and let it pool at her feet. She stood there somewhat awkwardly.

He placed his hands on her waist and gently pushed her into the spray. It was hot and the pleasure of it beating her sore muscles was enough to make her moan softly. Daryl's eyes burned into her.

"Aren't you going to join me?" She finally asked.

"No." He rasped.

"Why?"

He looked down. "I ain't gonna be able to control myself if I step in here with ya. I can't be gentle."

She tipped his face up so they were eye to eye. "That's okay. You can be rough. I know you won't hurt me."

"You can't know that." He whispered.

"But I do."

Beth tugged on his shirt until he raised his arms for her to pull it off. His jaw was clenched and she felt his body give little shudders. Reaching for his pants she pushed those and his boxers down and tossed them to the side. Tugging on his hand, she pulled him forward until he was under the spray with her.

She tipped her head back and let the spray pound onto her head, massaging her scalp.

Daryl's lips brushed her neck. Shivering, she tilted her head back further and he nipped her a little.

"Daryl?" She whispered.

"Too much?" He asked softly.

"Oh no, that's not it. I just feel so...so, shaky. I'm almost vibrating with need. Is that normal?" She asked shyly.

Daryl chuckled. "I ain't so steady either."

He grabbed the soap they kept on the wall and dropped to his knees.

She gasped as she felt his hand run the soap up on leg and down the other. He washed her feet and stood to wash her arms and hands. He rinsed all the dried blood off before continuing. He glanced at her and used the soap to massage her neck and worked his way to her breasts. She let out a moan and grabbed the wall behind her for support. He slowly massaged his way back down again, his fingers slippery over her skin. She felt him pause and then he slipped one finger inside of her. Her legs buckled and he quickly reached out a hand to steady her.

"Please." She pleaded.

She heard him drop the soap and then he pushed her against the wall. He used his hands to spread her legs apart.

"Daryl?" She asked.

She had no idea what he was doing. He was still on his knees. He didn't say anything, just put his mouth on her and began to use his tongue where his finger had just been.

"Oh my God!" She groaned.

She tried to close her legs as her face grew red but his hands were firm as he kept them open. She could feel herself quaking and at any moment she knew her legs would give out. The pleasure built slowly and then began to spread like wildfire as the sensations rolled over her and she cried out and bucked against him as she found her release.

He stood up and supported her with his arms as she shook with the shock of her orgasm. She was a little embarassed with how intimate it had been and how she had acted.

"Better?" His voice was hoarse.

She nodded shakily. " I want to reciprocate."

"No." His voice was firm. "This ain't bout' me."

"But Daryl-"

He cut her off with a deep kiss.

...

Daryl was barely holding onto his self control. He didn't want to scare her with his intensity. This was only her second time and he tried to pace himself.

He cut off the kiss to shampoo her hair. He had never bathed anyone in his life. He remembered helping Carol bathe Judith once at the jail but he had mostly just helped support her. Carol had done most of the washing.

This was nothing like that. This was erotic and he was so hard he thought he might shatter into a thousand pieces.

Rinsing her hair, he was reaching to turn the water off when she stopped him.

"No. I need you." She breathed.

"I can't. I might be rough. I ain't gonna hurt you."

"You're hurting me now by refusing me." She said. "I'm aching. Please."

Daryl battled with himself and lost. "Fine. Tell me if it's too rough." He gritted between clenched teeth.

He turned to his clothes and searched until he found the other condom he had placed in there. She raised her eyebrows in question but he didn't say anything.

Putting it on, he went back to her. Her eyes were drinking him in now that they had some light to see by. She ran her hands up and down his arms and chest and he could't take it anymore.

He pinned her wrists with one hand and held them above her head. The water had begun to turn lukewarm but neither of them noticed.

...

When Daryl pinned her wrists above her head, she was so turned on by it that she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning again. She didn't want to be too loud.

His lips crushed down upon hers with a startling intensity. His free hand travled up and down her body, leaving a trail of fire everywhere he went.

His finger slipped back inside her, prodding, to make sure she was ready for him.

Seeming satisfied, he let go of her hands momentarily to lift her up against the wall.

"Wrap your legs around me." He ordered.

She quickly obeyed and sucked in a breath when he entered her swiftly. She had no time to cry out as he began a punishing rhythm. It didn't feel rough to her. In fact, it only seemed to turn her on even more and minutes later, they both came crashing together as they rode out their orgasms. Taking care to hold onto her, they slid to the floor. They were both breathing heavily and now she was in his lap.

...

She looked at him all glistening wet and panting and she knew she had fallen for this man. Somewhere along the way, he had stolen her heart.

"I love you." She mumbled.

Startled, his head snapped up and he looked at her for a minute before pressing his forehead against hers. He didn't say anything, he just held her.

The silence was deafening and the only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of their heavy breathing and the water as it pounded it's rhythm over their bodies.


	25. Chapter 25

**Authors Note: It's Sunday! Yay, lol! It's not much, but I told everyone Sunday and I finally had some time to sit down and write this out so here you go! Let me know if you're still with me! Thanks everyone! :)**

Beth woke up the next morning draped across Daryl. They were both naked and she was freezing. Daryl had somehow managed to steal all of the blankets, leaving her with nothing but a thin sheet that barely held any warmth.

Casting a look at him to see that his eyes were still closed she bit her lip and began trying to inch the blankets out from around his body.

"Stealin' my blankets, Angel?" Daryl asked lazily.

He had taken to calling her Angel sometimes and she kind of liked it. It was sweet that he had a pet name for her that he used when they were alone.

She sighed. "You're a blanket hog. I'm freezing! It must be forty degrees out!" She shivered.

He chuckled and untangled the blankets from around himself. He lifted them up.

"Comere', I'll keep ya warm." He said.

She slid into the covers with a sigh of relief. It was _so_ warm from Daryl's body heat.

This was the second time they had slept in each other's bed. She wondered if it would be a habit from now on. She hoped so.

Daryl stretched and put his arms behind his head, totally relaxed.

"Isn't there something you need to be doing besides laying here in the nude?" She teased.

He cocked a brow at her. "If there is, it ain't as appealin' as this."

She blushed and laid her head on his chest.

"'Sides, Rick's taken over as leader again so I ain't got to be out there as early supervisin'." He mused.

She wanted to bring up what she had said to him last night. He had never responded to her other than pulling her close in his arms and she wondered about that.

_Was that his way of saying he felt something too?_

She knew that Daryl didn't express his feelings openly. She wasn't going to push. Besides, it wouldn't change her feelings about him. She was still in love with this man. She didn't want to ruin the way he opened up to her on occasion.

His stomach grumbled loudly. "There's the alarm." He teased as he slowly got out of bed.

She was treated to a full view of his body in the light as he went to get his clothes. The light hit on his scars on his back and she drew in a breath.

He tensed as he put on his shirt. "Don't." He said firmly.

He finished dressing and walked over to kiss her quickly.

She watched him expectantly as he paused by the door.

"See ya later?" He asked.

Her shoulders slumped a little. "Sure."

It wasn't an "_I love you"_ but it would have to do for now.

...

Most of the day was spent further organizing all the supplies from the last run. Carol had gathered the women inside the mess hall with boxes while the men took care of whatever had to be done outside.

Michonne was the only woman who wasn't in there with them. She preferred to be outside working whenever possible.

Beth sighed and glanced out of the window for the eighth time and caught sight of Daryl. He was working over at the fence with Glenn and she wished she could be out there too. She loved watching him move about and the muscles in his arms as he bent the wire for the fence.

"Beth?" Carol's voice startled her.

"What?" Beth jumped guiltily.

"I asked you if you needed any deodorant or toothbrushes."

Beth flushed. "Oh. Yes please. Both."

Carol was looking at her. "Is everything okay?"

She sat down at the table next to Beth. The others were going through the other boxes and chatting. Beth wanted to tell her about what was bothering her but not around everyone else. She had become really close to Carol and looked at her as a mother figure even though Carol wasn't really old enough to actually be Beth's mother.

"Yes, I'm fine." Beth lied.

"Okay. Just checking. I know that yesterday must have been hard for you. If you need to talk about it, I'm here." Carol placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

Beth smiled at her. "Thanks."

...

"Stupid piece of shit!" Daryl cursed for the hundreth time.

Glenn glanced at him with an amused expression. "Maybe you should try being nice to the fence instead of cursing at it." He teased.

"Yeah? Well maybe my fist can be nice to ya face! Fuck!" He yelled as his finger was knicked by the barb wire they were trying to position on the fence.

Glenn leaned against the fence. "Wanna talk about it?"

Daryl sighed. "I'm an ass."

"Tell us something we don't know."

Daryl shot him a look. "Alright listen, I got a problem. I need to ask ya something but you don't need to go repeatin' it to Maggie."

Glenn groaned. "You do know I'm the world's worst liar, right?"

"Well ya need to figure out how to be quiet 'cause I need to know!"

"Fine. I know nothing." Glenn crossed his arms.

Daryl dropped the wire and lowered his voice. "Beth told me she loves me."

"What!" Glenn said loudly.

"Jesus! Could you possibly lower ya voice?" Daryl hissed.

"Sorry. Well what did you do? Did you say it back?"

"No. I mean, I tried. The only problem is if I say it I wanna mean it but I ain't sure I mean it. I mean, I ain't never had anyone I loved before. How do you know?" Daryl paced back and forth.

"You just..._know._ I can't explain it. With Maggie, I just tried to picture my life without her and I realized I couldn't. So many times we have come close to death and it's torn me apart knowing she could be gone at any time. I would die for her." Glenn stated.

Daryl stopped pacing and looked at him. He couldn't imagine Beth not being around. In fact, the thought downright scared him to the point that he couldn't _think _and that scared him even more.

...

Beth carried a box filled with supplies to her room and Daryl's room. After placing the box in the rooms, she decided to work on the library some more.

She pullled the blinds down from the windows first and coughed a little as dust flew in the air. The light was dull as it shone through and she could see the layer of dust on the windows. She rummaged around in the cabinets until she came across some newspaper. Going to her room and grabbing some rubbing alcohol she returned to the windows and started wiping them down so the sun could shine through.

"Wow. It's so nice in here." Heather spoke as she entered.

"It's my favorite room." Beth told her with a smile.

"Want some help?"

"Sure! Grab a chair and you can help me shine some light in here." Beth said.

Heather grabbed a chair and pushed it over towards the windows. The library itself wasn't big but it was big enough that it fit six bookshelves, a desk, and three tables inside of it. It had three large windows also.

Together, they scrubbed and scrubbed until the windows gleamed. In fact, the sun was so bright in there now, Beth was debating on whether or not to put the blinds back up.

She decided against it after they had worked so hard to get them clean.

"So how old are you?" Heather asked Beth when they were finished.

"I think I'm 19." Beth laughed. "I quit counting."

"Yeah, me too. I was 23 when it happened. Mike was 30."

"The months and days just don't matter anymore. It's not about being scared of getting old anymore. Now it's all about _wanting_ to be able to get old."

"You're right. I had so many plans for my life. After marriage, I was going to finish my nursing degree and we were going to start planning a family." Heather sighed.

"You were studying nursing?"

"Yeah. I didn't finish. I was only two semesters in before we got married and then this."

"Dad could probably teach you a lot if you wanted to learn some. He's pretty good with it." Beth said.

"I might take you up on that. What about you? Are you and Daryl an item?" Heather asked with a smile.

Beth almost felt normal in this moment. Sitting in a library and having idle chit chat with another woman made her feel like everything else bad in the world didn't exist.

"Daryl's complicated. I guess you could say we're an item. Everyone knows I care for him. I know he cares for me in his own way." Beth sighed. "I told him I love him." She blurted.

Heather's eyes got wide. "What did he say?"

"That's just it! He didn't say anything. He just hugged me close." Beth said.

"I don't know him that well. Sometimes guys just have trouble saying the 'L' word though. It took Mike a year before he said it to me." Heather told her.

"We may not have a year. I hope he says it soon."

...

Daryl looked everywhere for Beth before finally finding her in the library. She was kneeling on the floor, going through some books. She had her hair pulled back and her face was creased in concentration as she looked down at a book.

He was so quiet she didn't even realize he was standing there leaning against the bookshelf, just watching her.

"What cha' readin'?" He asked.

Beth gave a little yell of surprise and dropped the book.

"You scared the daylights out of me!" She said.

He saw her discreetly try to tuck the book back onto the shelf and he narrowed his eyes.

He tipped his head at the bookshelf. "What book you readin'?"

"What book?" She said nonchalantly.

He walked towards the shelf.

She moved in front of him.

He smirked down at her with his arms crossed. "Now I'm really curious. Let's see it."

She reached behind her and slipped out a book to hand to him.

He glanced down at the title. _Swiss Family Robinson._

"Nah. That ain't it. Try again." He taunted.

She flushed. "That is it!"

He reached forward and hauled her over his shoulder. She yelled and grabbed his shirt.

"No Daryl!" She yelled in between giggles.

He scanned the shelf. _Old Yeller. Shakespeare. Kama Sutra. _

_Woah._ He may not have ever read it, but he _definitely_ knew what kind of material was in it. It wasn't exactly common library material but he figured maybe some of the soldiers who had been here had slipped it in as a prank or something.

He put Beth down slowly. Her face was beet red.

He backed her up to the shelves and placed an arm on each side of her head, caging her in.

"So. You wanna get creative?" He asked with an evil grin.

"I was just looking. I've never actually looked in one before. It looks kind of complicated." She flustered.

"Maybe we can study it together." Daryl suggested softly.

She glanced up at him shyly. "Maybe."


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note: Alright everyone, I know this is a short chapter but I'm working on getting another out for later so don't hurt me! LOL Anyway, I've got some stuff in the works so I'm trying to do some filler chapters to keep things flowing while I work on future chapters. Loved the reviews about Beth and the Kama Sutra. (Stay tuned for more of that later - hint, hint!) Enjoy! **

****Side Note: Sometimes I tend to stray from the character a little bit with certain people. Every once in a while it's because I didn't catch myself but for the most part, it's intentional. I feel like I need to tweak them occasionally to fit the story as it changes. I promise not to stray too far from their true selves! Thanks everyone! :)**

Beth woke up alone. She had ended up going to bed earlier than usual because Daryl had watch duty last night so they hadn't slept together.

Even though they hadn't been doing it long, she was already getting used to waking up next to him. The fact that he was very warm when it was cold out didn't hurt either.

It was getting harder and harder to stay warm inside. The buildings were older and very drafty and they had plenty of blankets but it never seemed to be enough.

Beth bundled up and went in search of her dad.

She found him in the infirmary with Will. Will was getting better but Hershel was still keeping a close eye on him. Beth stood off to the side, waiting on them to finish.

"How do you feel?" Hershel asked.

"Getting there." Will said.

He looked tired, Beth noticed. He hadn't stayed in the infirmary but for one night after learning of Keely. Hershel had kept an eye on him throughout the night. He was a good guy and she hoped he could pull through this like Rick did for Lori. Will and Keely weren't as close but she was the second person for him to lose in such a short time.

"I still want you to take these. They're for depression and we are really lucky to have found them. No one really thought to raid a military base for medicine but they were pretty well stocked. Just remember not to abuse them. Take them as directed." Hershel advised.

"Okay. Thanks Hershel." Will said and shook his hand.

He got up and nodded to Beth on his way out.

Beth walked over to her dad. "How are you doing daddy?"

"Oh, I'm okay."

Beth saw that he was favoring his left hand a little and she knew that with the cold had come the arthritis in his hands. Some years he didn't have it and sometimes it could be really troublesome for him.

"Are your hands hurting?"

"No. I'm okay honey. Don't you girls worry about me. I've been taking some ibuprofen and it helps a lot. I've just got to take this morning's dose." Hershel said. He put his arm around Beth. "How are things with Daryl? I feel as though we barely get to talk anymore."

"They're wonderful! He's such a special man. He doesn't realize how good he is. His life must have been really hard. I feel so bad for him sometimes daddy." Beth sighed.

"He'll come around. As long as I've known him he seems to have already gotten better. Especially since you've turned the Greene charm onto him." Hershel chuckled.

"The Greene charm?" Beth smiled.

"Of course. How do you think I got your mother? You are so innocent you don't even realize you have him wrapped around your finger." Hershel paused, "Of course, Maggie, on the other hand, is like your mother. She's bold and goes after what she wants. That's how she got Glenn. He never even saw it coming."

Beth laughed at that. She remembered how Glenn had been skittish around Maggie at the farm at first.

But _Daryl? Wrapped around her finger? _

She wasn't so sure about that.

...

"It's colder than a polar bear's ass out here!" Daryl said as Michonne walked up to take his spot.

Michonne half smiled at him. "And how cold is a polar bear's ass Daryl?"

"Pretty damn cold." He said with a grin.

"I was thinking we might need to make an emergency run. I have a feeling it's going to be a long, cold, winter."

"You know I ain't in charge no more. Why ain't you askin' Rick?" Daryl asked.

"Just thought I would run the idea by you first. I was thinking about finding some kerosene heaters for the buildings. If we could find the kerosene to fill them it would help keep everyone from freezing."

Daryl thought about it a minute and then nodded. "That ain't a bad idea Michonne."

"I don't know if Rick's going to want to risk another run right now." Michonne said.

"I don't see why he wouldn't. I'll ask em'. You and I might can knock it out tomorrow."

Michonne nodded. Daryl tipped his head at her and walked away.

...

Even though it was morning and Daryl had been on duty most of the night, he wasn't going to bed.

He had thought about Beth while sitting guard last night. He thought about her so much so that he had to get up and walk around to cool off. He wondered if she was still lying in bed and he changed course from going to breakfast to head to their rooms.

"Daryl! Wait up!" Maggie called as she walked over to him.

Daryl stopped walking and turned to look at her. Maggie never stopped him to talk so it must be serious.

"Everythin' alright?" He asked carefully.

"Yeah. I talked to Glenn." Maggie said.

Daryl groaned and cursed. _That big mouth. _

"Oh?" He tried to play it off.

"Don't play dumb with me Daryl. I want to know what your intentions are with my sister."

"I like 'er. Why y'all women gotta make it complicated?" Daryl grumbled.

Maggie sighed. "Look I know I coddle her. I'm workin' on that, I really am. I just don't want to see her hurt. We're a tight group and I think it could cause a strain between everyone."

"Beth's a grown woman capable of makin' her own decisions. We enjoy spendin' time together. I care for 'er. Let her grow up." He said and brushed past her.

Maggie stood there gazing after him.

...

Beth was walking out of the infirmary when she saw Daryl and Maggie talking in the courtyard. She started to go over and then paused when she saw the tension between them. They exchanged a few words and then Daryl stalked off towards their building and Maggie slowly turned to go into the mess hall.

Beth debated on which way to go and ended up following after Daryl.

She ran dead into him as he was coming out of her room.

"Hey. I was lookin' for you." He said.

"Well here I am."

He draped one arm over the doorway and leaned over her. "How bout' a kiss?"

She leaned forward and kissed him. His arms circled her waist and drew her closer. She ran her fingers through his hair before pulling away.

"I saw you with Maggie." She blurted.

He frowned. "Your sister has it in her head I might be corruptin' you."

"That's not true! I'll talk to her."

"Listen about what ya said the other night... I care for you. I don't want ya to think I'm an ass for not sayin' it back." Daryl said.

"No! I don't want you to say it if you don't mean it. It's just -" Beth began.

"I need more time. Let me work this out in my head. "

Beth kissed him. She grabbed his hand and traced her fingers over his palm.

"I'm not going anywhere." She whispered.

...


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note: Sorry I didn't get this chapter out last night like I thought I would! I was so tired I couldn't focus and I didn't want to publish it without being sure I was reading it right LOL. I'm feeling refreshed today so I'm sure I'll be able to make it up to everyone with another chapter today! **

****I did want to comment on a reader's review. I can't remember the name (I'm sorry) but they said that they wondered if maybe the Governor would be lurking out there somewhere on this run. Well, the Governor is dead. Daryl killed him quite a few chapters back. ;)**

Rick was holding a ladder when Daryl found him. Tyreese was at the top of the ladder using caulk to help seal the cracks around the windows to keep out the winter wind.

"Need some help?" Daryl asked.

"I think we pretty much got it. What's up?" Rick asked him.

"Wanted to talk to ya about going on one more run. Michonne brought it up actually. Suggested we go and find some kerosene heaters to help heat the buildings. I think it's a good idea. We could use the warmth for Hershel an Judith especially." Daryl said.

"That is a good idea. I wonder why we haven't thought of it before? When were you thinkin' of going?" Rick asked.

"First thing in the mornin' if you think it's a good idea."

Rick nodded. "Sure. Who you taking?"

"I thought maybe Michonne and Glenn if they agree."

"Sounds like a plan."

...

Beth was helping Carol do laundry when Judith started crawling. They had placed her on a blanket on the floor and she would wobble a few times and fall over. They figured she was a little behind where she should be as far as crawling and walking, but that was to be expected in the world they now lived in.

"She's crawling!" Beth gasped and pointed.

Carol turned from the tub she was soaking the clothes in.

"Oh Judith! You sweet baby!" Carol exclaimed.

Judith was babbling happily and attempting to crawl off the blanket when she fell over. They both paused to see what she would do. Judith just laughed and rolled over and over.

Beth and Carol both laughed.

"I guess I'll have to start bringing the play pen everywhere I go from now on." Carol said.

"I can help you with her some if you want. You shouldn't have to care for her alone." Beth told her.

Carol kept dipping clothes and swirling them around. "I know. She's fine though. I really enjoy her. And anytime I need a break, there's always someone willing to take her for a bit."

"It's a shame that Rick doesn't spend more time with her."

"Oh but he does more than everyone knows. Most every night he comes and gets her after her last bottle and carries her around, rocking her back and forth. He's coming around. It's really kind of sweet. I don't think he quite knows what to do with her. I mean, she could be Shane's but she's still got Lori in her."

Beth began rinsing out the clothes Carol passed her. The good thing was the water was warm so their fingers wouldn't freeze and it wasn't such a bad job.

"Well she's such a lovely baby either way. No matter what." Beth stated.

She made a face at Judith and the baby giggled.

...

Daryl had talked to Michonne and Glenn and everything was all set for tomorrow. They would pull out at first light.

They had all just finished eating dinner when Maggie brought the radio into the mess hall.

Daryl raised a brow.

"I found some cds the other day so I thought we could play some music to lighten everyone up a little." She said.

"That's a great idea Maggie." Carol said.

Maggie turned on the CD and a hip hop song started to play.

Daryl watched with an amused expression as Glenn and Maggie started dancing to the music like they were in a nightclub.

Mike and Heather soon joined them and they were all laughing as they danced to the music.

Daryl glanced at Beth and saw that she was watching the others and smiling softly.

The song stopped and a slow song started playing that Daryl didn't recognize. The others paired off and even Rick asked Carol to dance.

Daryl saw that Beth was looking down at her hands and picking at her nails.

He wasn't a dancer but he didn't want her sitting there looking lonesome either.

He stood up and cursed Maggie for her bright ideas. He walked over and held out his hand to her.

Her eyes lit up as she looked at him and took his hand.

He sucked in a breath and forgot all about being mad at Maggie as Beth twined her arms around his neck and started to move.

...

Beth couldn't believe Daryl was dancing with her. He looked a little unsure of himself as he awkwardly swayed back and forth.

"Loosen up. No one's watching you." She whispered.

"How the hell do people do this? I ain't made to dance." He said.

He stepped on her foot and she held back a laugh. He was incredibly adorable when he was unsure of himself.

"No one cares how you're dancing. They're just having fun." She stated.

Daryl glanced around to the others. She followed his gaze and saw that indeed, the others were not paying them a bit of attention.

She glanced up at him and saw he was gazing at her intently.

Her face grew warm as his hands stroked up and down her back. He grabbed her hand and twirled her around and around until they were standing by the door.

With the music up and everyone laughing, no one noticed them off to the side.

Daryl opened the door and she followed him out.

The cold night air hit her and she shivered.

Daryl stooped and picked her up over his shoulder.

"Daryl!" She shrieked.

He swatted her behind. "Keep yer voice down."

He carried her to his room and set her down.

She saw the teasing light in his eyes and she backed away with a smile.

"You're up to something." She said.

He grinned. "Got yer little book?"

...

Beth woke up as the first rays of light shone into the room. Once again, she found herself draped around Daryl.

He also had the covers again.

Grinning mischieviously, she gave the covers a hard yank.

Daryl started awake as the icy cold air hit him.

He opened one eye and looked at her.

"Feelin' brave?" He taunted.

She narrowed her eyes and nodded.

Quick as lightening, he had her arms pinned above her head and was lying on top of her. She squealed.

"How bout' now?"

"It's cold!" She shrieked.

"We can try another of those fancy moves from that book you like to warm ya up."

She blushed. She couldn't believe he had actually tried one of the positions with her.

"Later?" She asked.

Daryl's eyes burned into hers. He nodded.

"I gotta get ready for the run." He sat up in the bed.

"Daryl?"

"Hm?"

"If I say I love you again will that freak you out?" She asked softly.

He went still for a few agonizing minutes.

Slowly he shook his head no.

She pulled his face around to hers. "I love you." She said.

He swallowed hard and pulled her in close.

"I'll be back soon. Ain't no reason to worry."

...

Daryl, Glenn, and Michonne took off in one of the trucks. Glenn was driving while Daryl and Michonne kept an eye out for stores that might have the heaters.

There were lots of buildings crowded down what must have been the main street. Most buildings looked looted so they weren't sure of their chances of finding anything.

"Hardware store!" Michonne called out.

Glenn pulled over in front of the run down building. It looked like it had been there forty years or better.

"You sure you wanna stop here?" Glenn asked.

"Might as well check it out. If we find _one_, we doin' good." Daryl observed.

They climbed out and Michonne and Glenn took out two walkers on their side of the truck.

Daryl pulled out his crossbow and waited by the door until they joined him. Glenn kicked the door and Daryl and Michonne peered inside.

It was dusty but didn't seem to be picked over.

They didn't see any walkers right away so they proceeded inside with Glenn covering the back.

"Walker. Back right." Daryl whispered.

He and Michonne went around the aisle and met in the middle, flanking the walker.

The walker was confused as to the direction he wanted to take momentarily and Daryl and Michonne both jumped to stab it in the head before he could figure it out.

"Wow. You guys plan that ahead of time or what?" Glenn spoke from two aisles over.

"If we had, we sure wouldn't have told you, mouth of the south!" Daryl retorted.

"Oh, ho! Low blow dude! I couldn't help it! I _did_ warn you." Glenn said.

"Maggie's got you pussy whipped!" Daryl taunted.

"You're the dumbass who came to _me _for advice!"

Michonne was a silent observer. She glanced back and forth between them before speaking.

"Can we please save the female drama for when we get back? Personally, I don't relish the idea of being out here long." With that said, she turned and began searching the shelves.

Glenn raised an eyebrow.

Daryl looked at Glenn and shrugged.

Sometimes you just didn't question Michonne.

...

Beth found Maggie reading a book in her room. She had debated on what to say to her sister. She was pretty steamed that Maggie obviously still had problems with Daryl. On the other hand, she was grateful that Maggie looked out for her, but enough was enough.

Maggie glanced up as Beth walked in. She didn't sit, she just stood there staring at her.

"Beth, what's wrong?" Maggie asked as she closed her book.

"What did you say to Daryl?" She demanded.

"Nothing. I just asked him what his intentions were. Glenn told me that you said you loved Daryl and- "

"Dammit Maggie! That was none of your business! You've got to quit butting into my relationship with Daryl!" Beth cut in.

"I know! I'm sorry! I'm trying! I really am. It's just that I've looked at you as my responsibility for so long. You remember how it was after moma had passed and daddy was drinkin'."

Beth did remember. Most days, Maggie had been the one to look after Beth and make sure she ate and went to school while their daddy nursed a bad hangover. She was grateful that he no longer drank. That was beside the point though and Maggie should know better.

Beth raised her voice. "That's no excuse Maggie! I love Daryl! That may be hard for you to wrap your mind around but I do! He makes me happy! He's not perfect but who is? You and Glenn have had your share of problems and not once did I come between you! This has gotta stop. Either get along or leave us _both_ alone!"

Maggie gasped. "I'm sorry! I was just concerned for you! I didn't know it was that serious."

Beth crossed her arms.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to."

****Alright, don't kill me! I promise I will go into the whole Beth/Daryl Kama Sutra in more detail in further chapters. I didn't feel it was necessary this time and I don't like to have too many sex scenes because then it just becomes a porno! LOL, thanks everyone!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note: Woohoo! Two chapters in one day! I did it! LOL! I've been on a roll today and I've got some plans for future chapters I'm excited about so stay with me! Loving the reviews as always! Enjoy!**

****To the guest reviewer who posted about the Governor: No worries! Don't sweat it, I get the real show confused with my story all the time so it's not a big deal. Thanks for your review! :)**

Two hours and four stores later, Daryl, Michonne, and Glenn had only three heaters to show for their efforts.

They had killed quite a few walkers to get those heaters too. One store had housed about ten walkers and had taken them by surprise, forcing them to kill them all rather than just leave. Despite the cold, they were all sweating from their workout.

Daryl sat on the tailgate of the truck. "Son of a bitch it's hot!" He grumbled.

Glenn nodded while trying to catch his breath and Michonne was wiping her forehead with her shirt sleeve.

"Although it may be harder on some of us because we're old." Glenn teased.

Daryl cocked a brow at him. They had been back and forth at each other all day. Daryl was quite enjoying himself.

"At least I can hold my liquor son. Two shots and you'll be shitfaced." Daryl smirked.

Glenn straightened and glanced around for a few moments.

"We'll see about that. Be right back." He said and took off to a building a few stores down.

Fifteen minutes later, he came running back with a box and a grin.

"Party tonight!" He exclaimed.

Daryl shook his head. Michonne walked over and peered into the box. There were about 8 bottles of wine and liquor.

"I cleaned the shelves." Glenn said.

"We need to find some kerosene before it gets much later." Michonne said.

...

Beth ran into Carl on the way back from Maggie's room.

She was still mad at Maggie and almost ran into Carl as she turned the corner.

"Oh! Sorry Carl." She said.

Carl looked at her. "What's wrong?"

Beth sighed. "Maggie and I are arguing."

She went and sat on one of the concrete benches in the courtyard.

"About Daryl?"

"How did you know?"

Carl shrugged. "Daryl talks to me sometimes. Besides, it's not hard to figure out."

"It's stupid really. I mean, everyone treats me like I'm this fragile kid!"

"I know what you mean." Carl said softly.

Beth looked at him. It had been so long since they had just talked. She took the time to really look Carl over. He was growing up. He looked taller and his face was starting to sprout the beginnings of facial hair.

"I suppose you do." Beth mused.

Carl sat beside her. "It's hard being the only one my age around here. I mean, yeah I have people I can talk to but it's not the same. I miss talking to my friends at school about video games and random shit."

Beth gasped at his language. "Carl!"

He reddened a little. "What difference does it make anymore?"

She softened. "Just because the world has changed doesn't mean we have to lose our values and sense of self."

She put her arm around him. She noticed she didn't have to lean down a little anymore to do it.

"Don't lose sight of who you are Carl. You can't let this world make you hard. This can't last forever. One day, we might be able to have a semi-normal life again."

Carl leaned his head on her shoulder. "Thanks."

...

Daryl and the others had found three gallons of kerosene. It was late afternoon and they had been searching for more but coming up empty.

Not many people heated with kerosene anymore.

"Let's load up. This should be good if we only use it in designated areas for short amounts of time." Daryl said.

He and Glenn loaded up the truck and Michonne hopped into the driver's seat.

It was only a twenty minute drive back to base.

...

Beth was sitting in the mess hall with the others eating dinner when word came in that Daryl and the others had made it back.

Abandoning her plate, she ran outside and down to the gates.

Daryl and Michonne were unloading the heaters and Glenn was holding a box.

She caught Daryl's eye and saw his eyes roam over her appreciatively.

She smiled at him and approached Glenn. "What's in the box?"

Glenn grinned.

"Glenn's worst nightmare." Daryl said as he walked up.

Glenn gave him a look and walked away.

"What's that all about?" Beth asked.

"He thinks he can hold his liquor better than me. No one outdrinks a Dixon." Daryl smirked.

...

They set up one heater in each of the buildings where they all slept. It would have to work until they could find another way. Hopefully it would be enough to keep them all from freezing to death this winter.

Glenn gathered them all into the administration building when they were done and placed the box down on a table.

"I figured we all deserved a little fun!" Glenn said.

He began placing out bottles of wine and liquor.

"I'm not sure we should all be drinking." Hershel said.

"Who's turn is it to be on watch?" Rick demanded.

"It's mine." Glenn said. "I'm heading down there now. Coming with me?" He asked Maggie.

Beth saw Glenn slip a bottle into his back pocket and he and Maggie walked off together. Maggie hadn't said anything to her since what happened earlier and Beth hated that she and her sister were arguing but she wasn't backing down. She would wait for Maggie to come to her.

"I guess it's okay as long as we don't drink excessively." Rick said.

"I don't drink so I'll keep an eye on everyone." Tyreese said.

"I think I'm going to turn in." Hershel said. He kissed Beth and bid everyone goodnight.

"How about a game of blackjack?" Sasha suggested.

Carol came up from the basement. "What's going on?"

"Apparently, we're going to get drunk and play cards." Carl said.

"Correction. _We're_ going to drink and play. You're not old enough to drink." Rick told Carl.

Carl crossed his arms and pouted.

Daryl began pouring drinks and passing them around. When he got to Carl, he looked to see where Rick was and then slipped him some in a cup and handed it to him. Carl looked up, surprised, and then grinned. Daryl ruffled his hair affectionately.

...

Beth sipped her drink slowly. She wasn't a big drinker. Daryl was on his fifth cup and he didn't even look affected.

They had been playing for two hours and were down to Sasha, Tyreese, Mike, Heather, Rick, herself, and Daryl.

Carol had excused herself a while back and went down to sleep next to Judith. Carl had fallen asleep in his chair and Rick had taken him down with Carol and Judith. Will hadn't hung around too long because he couldn't drink with the medicine Hershel had him taking and Michonne had played a few games then decided to turn in early.

Beth was feeling pretty good as the liquor settled into a pool of warmth in her belly. She had no worries at the moment and life felt pretty great. She laughed a lot and Daryl kept sneaking glances at her.

She stood up and went to get another drink. She had lost count of how many she had drank at this point. Everyone was really relaxed and they were all having a great time just playing and laughing.

A strong hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her from pouring the drink.

"I think that's enough for you Angel." Daryl whispered.

"You're not the boss of me." Liquor was making her brave.

"No. But I can still cart you out of here." He threatened.

"I'd like to see you try it." She crossed her arms and attempted to brace herself.

Daryl snickered at the image she was trying to portray. She was wobbling on her feet and the determined look on her face was priceless.

"Oh we both know I could make you beg me to take you away." He leaned to whisper in her ear.

He felt her shiver and sway. The others were getting loud as the card game continued. He grabbed her by the arm and shouted goodnight to the others.

They barely acknowledged them as they left the building. Daryl wasn't drunk by any means but he did have a good buzz going. He knew how to hold his liquor and he hadn't wanted to get drunk because he liked to know what was going on around him.

"You goin' to _ravish_ me?" Beth said and giggled.

Daryl smiled at her. She was so cute tipsy. He wasn't going to take advantage of her though. He only had plans to get her into bed and climb in beside her.

She stumbled a little and Daryl picked her up in his arms. She was so light and she curled into his chest. She was asleep by the time they reached his room.

He took off her shoes and jacket and laid her on the bed. He undressed himself and turned out the light to lay next to her.

"Daryl?" She whispered.

"Yeah?"

She rolled over to him. "Make love to me."

Daryl froze. "You're drunk."

"I'm not that drunk. I need you. Please."

He could feel her warm breath on his face and he inhaled deeply.

"Angel I-" He began.

He sucked in a breath as he felt her lips travel across his chest. She disappeared under the covers and he groaned and pulled her back up.

Rolling her to her back he kissed her long and hard. She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched her hips into his. He broke the kiss and kissed her neck softly.

She sat up and pulled off her shirt and unhooked her bra. Next, she wiggled out of her pants and panties.

"Love me Daryl. Please." She lifted her naked body to his.

He sucked in a breath. Swearing at his inability to stay away he rid himself of the rest of his clothes.

...

Beth knew she was a little tipsy but she liked the braveness the alcohol gave her. She wasn't afraid or shy about telling Daryl to make love to her.

She felt his lips on her breasts and he suckled her gently before letting his hands roam down her body.

Moaning, she stroked his back and spread her legs. Grabbing his hand she pulled it between her legs.

His gaze locked on hers and she could feel the charge in the air as he stared at her.

He slid one finger inside of her and she gasped at the pleasure of it.

"Please." She begged.

He left her momentarily and she heard the crinkle of plastic as he unwrapped the condom.

He lifted her legs up high and slowly pushed inside of her. His eyes remained locked onto hers and she heard him groan. The sensations were building inside of her in a slow heat.

Daryl took his time sliding in and out and she couldn't push against him because of how her legs were pinned up on his shoulders.

All she could do was lay back and feel the sensations take her. The heat built up until she felt like she was on fire and then she exploded with a cry of pleasure, her body lifting off the bed.

"Daryl!" She yelled.

Daryl groaned and stiffened as his own release came simultaneously. He broke eye contact and fell down on the bed beside of her. She curled into his body.

She felt his chest rising and falling as he fought to catch his breath.

She leaned up onto her elbow and looked at him.

Normally he wouldn't be breathing so hard but his expression looked torn and her heart ached for him.

"Daryl?" She whispered.

His hand caught hers and he pressed his lips to it softly. He looked at her and she could see all the emotion swirling in his eyes.

She watched him swallow deeply and her breath caught at his words.

"Love you."


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Note: This was a long chapter to write! Not much to say but that I hope you all like it! Let me know how I did! Thanks for the awesome reviews for the last chapter, I appreciate them SO much! Enjoy!**

Beth was floating on cloud nine. _Daryl had said he loved her! _She didn't even remember finally drifting off to sleep afterwards but she must have.

Daryl was awake when she opened her eyes. It was light out already so they must have slept in a little. She stretched a little and smiled at him.

"Hey." She said softly.

"Mornin'." He replied. "How you feelin'?"

She smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I feel great."

He pressed her close to him and they just lay there for a few minutes, lost in thought.

A pounding on the door brought them to full alert.

...

Daryl jumped up and yanked on his pants. Daryl knew for someone to knock on his door that it must be an emergency. He opened the door before Beth could even get out of bed and she covered herself quickly with a blanket.

Carl stood there panting. "Daryl! Walkers! They're everywhere! Hurry!"

"Fuck!" Daryl cursed.

He could hear Beth scrambling around behind him trying to get dressed.

He walked to Michonne's door to knock.

"No. She's already out there." Carl said.

Daryl yanked on his boots and shirt and grabbed his crossbow. He stopped at Beth who had just pulled on her shoes.

"Got yer knife?" He asked.

She nodded at him and held it up for him to see. Her eyes were wide and scared. He wished he could comfort her but there was no time.

"Stay close." He ordered them as they left the room.

...

Beth followed Daryl to the door that led outside. He cracked it open a peek and closed it back with a curse.

"Shit!" He muttered.

"How bad is it?" Beth whispered.

"It's bad. There's a herd." Daryl said.

He looked at Carl. "You ready?" Carl nodded and gripped his knife.

Daryl looked at her. She swallowed and nodded. "Stay with me. Don't leave my side." He ordered harshly.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and hoisted his bow. "I'm gonna try to take some of these bastards out from here first."

Beth held the door open a little so that he could aim outside and he fired off three arrows quickly.

She heard the thud of bodies colliding and knew Daryl had hit his mark each time.

He pushed the door open the rest of the way with his boot and Beth saw the chaos that used to be the courtyard.

Walkers were wandering around all over the place. It looked almost like it had that time at the prison that the Governor had brought all those walkers in on a truck. Except this time there was no Governor. _So where had they all come from?_

She didn't have time to see where everyone was or if they were okay. She just started swinging her knife at the first walker to come at her.

_How did they get in? They checked fences every day._

Daryl was shooting his bow and she ran to keep near to him.

Beside her, she could see Carl slashing at a walker who came at him. She went to help him but had to take care of one who was coming for her instead.

She timed her swing just right and was rewarded with the satisfying _crunch_ of her knife connecting with the walker's head. It went down and she immediately had to fight off another.

After killing two walkers back to back she glanced to her left to see Daryl still holding his own and Carl a little further away pounding into another. Her arms were beginning to ache a little.

A woman's scream cut through the midst of walkers and Beth quickly scanned for the source.

She saw Heather off to the side with a bat swinging with all her might at a walker that wouldn't go down. She was getting backed into a corner. The walker kept coming at her chomping it's mouth up and down and groaning that raspy groan they had.

Beth had no time to think, she just reacted. She took off at a run and came up behind the walker, slashing down with her knife. The walker crumbled into a heap in front of Heather.

Reaching into her pocket, Beth pulled out her back-up knife to hand to Heather. "Here. You'll need this."

Heather looked at her greatfully but they had no time to speak more.

Beth made her way back towards Daryl who had been trying to look frantically around for her.

"Stay where I can see ya!" He yelled.

...

Daryl took out another walker with his bow and cursed as one came at him too close from the right. Before he could get out his blade, a knife plunged into the head and it went down.

Beth stood on the other side.

"I just love a woman with skills!" Daryl cried and Beth grinned at him.

He had no idea how this could have happened. He himself had walked that fence a thousand times and there was no way those bastards could have gotten in through it.

A cry for help drew his and Beth's attention and they dashed off to the side of the building where Carol was crawling away from a walker who was clearly injured but still persuing.

She had no weapon and he spotted her knife sticking out of the walker's shoulder. Daryl quickly put his arrow into the walker's skull and Beth pulled out Carol's knife to hand to her.

Daryl helped Carol stand. "Ya alright?" He asked.

Carol was panting from her exertions. "I think so. They came out of nowhere!"

The herd was starting to thin a little and Daryl could see Rick and Tyreese fighting off about five walkers by the mess hall.

They all ran up to them and together they got rid of them easily. Daryl looked around but couldn't see anything but bodies all around.

"Where is everyone? What the hell happened?" Daryl shouted at Rick.

"I don't know! I woke up and they were here. I sent Carl after you!" Rick yelled back.

...

Beth looked franctically around for her sister and father.

"Maggie? Daddy? Has anyone seen them?" She asked them.

"Hershel is with Judith. I haven't seen Maggie." Carol said. "Hershel and Judith are locked safely in the basement."

Beth was relieved but still anxious that Maggie wasn't in sight. She didn't even see Glenn anywhere.

"The last time I saw Sasha was right before all this happened. She was with Michonne." Tyreese said.

Mike and Will came running up to them then, panting hard.

Mike grabbed Heather into his arms and squeezed her tight. "I'm so glad you're okay." He said to her.

"Did you see Maggie anywhere?" Beth asked them.

Will shook his head no. "No. It was just us. Heather was with us until we got separated by the herd." He panted.

They still hadn't found Michonne, Maggie, Glenn, or Sasha.

Beth was getting very worried.

"Has anyone checked the guard shack?" Daryl asked suddenly. "Weren't Maggie and Glenn on guard duty last night?"

Everyone shook their head no. No one had had time to check beyond the courtyard where most of the herd had crowded together looking for fresh meat.

They took off at a run for the guard shack. As they rounded the buildings, it came into view.

It was even worse than they had thought.

...

Daryl took in the twenty or so walkers that were inside the gate and the rest that were trying to push into the gate which was unlocked but still partially closed with a chain.

_Someone hadn't locked the gate. _

Michonne, Glenn, and Sasha were doing their best to fight off the herd. Daryl could see the fatigue in their bodies as he drew closer.

He stopped a few yards away and began shooting his arrow at them as the others ran over to help them out.

"Maggie!" Glenn yelled and Daryl saw him glance at the guard shack where four walkers were trying to get inside.

_Maggie must be trapped inside, _he thought.

...

Beth quickly took in the situation and Glenn's distress and figured out Maggie must be trapped in the guard shack.

Not giving a second thought to her safety, she rushed ahead into the crowd of walkers and began slashing out at them.

Behind her, she heard Daryl utter a curse.

"Beth!" He yelled.

She didn't have time to think about waiting for him, she just kept knifing her way further and further in. She felt a walker grab the back of her shirt and she stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. She cried out as her ankle twisted painfully. The walker came down on top of her and she tried to hold it off with both hands when an arrow suddenly appeared in it's head. It dropped down half on top of her.

Beth looked up and saw Daryl lowering his crossbow. He ran over to her and kicked the walker out of the way to help her to her feet. She saw Carl and Rick put down the last walker in front of the shack. They could now hear Maggie's whimpers inside and Beth's heart raced as she wondered if Maggie was okay.

Rick pounded on the door.

"Maggie! Open up!" He yelled.

"Rick?" Maggie's voice called out.

Beth heard shuffling from inside the door and seconds later Maggie's tear-stained face was there. She saw Beth and ran to her, throwing her arms around her tightly.

"Ow! Careful." Beth winced as she put pressure on her ankle to hold herself up from Maggie squeezing her.

"Are you okay? Where's Daddy? Glenn?" Maggie asked.

"Glenn's over there and Daddy's safe. I think I just twisted my ankle is all."

Maggie hugged her again. "I'm so sorry Beth!"

...

Daryl saw Michonne take out the last walker as he looked around. Everyone _seemed _to be okay. It was hard to tell with all the bodies lying around but he thought he could see everyone.

He knew this had hit the group hard and they weren't all up to par with their night having been spent drinking. It was likely they were all suffering from hangovers as well as exhaustion now.

He saw Beth limping across the pavement with Maggie's arm supporting her. His heart had almost stopped at her close call.

"Has anyone seen Sasha?" Tyreese frantically asked.

Daryl looked around but couldn't spot her.

Then he heard Carol cry out and he saw her drop to her knees and pull at the walker's bodies.

When he walked over he saw that Sasha was buried under a pile of walkers and she wasn't moving. Tyreese ran over and began shoving walkers out of the way with a frenzy they had never seen.

"No! Please, God! No!" Tyreese kept muttering.

They removed the walkers from on top of her and saw she had been torn apart. Daryl and Rick immediately moved to grab Tyreese so that he wouldn't have to look upon his sister that way. She was barely recognizable and Daryl felt so sorry for Tyreese.

Tyreese didn't even fight them as they pulled him away from his sister's body. He fell to his knees and cried. Carol went over and tried to give him comfort but he didn't even acknowledge her presence.

There was a deathly silence to the group as they all suffered the death of another member. Once again, Daryl was reminded that he wasn't promised tomorrow and he could lose Beth at any given time.

"How did this happen?" Rick asked softly.

Glenn shuffled his feet and he and Maggie exchanged a glance.

"It was my fault, Rick. I didn't put the lock back on last night. We were drinking an-" Maggie began.

"No!" Glenn interrupted. "Don't take the blame for me. It was me. _I_ was the one who didn't put the lock back on last night. I took it off to kill a couple of walkers and forgot to put it back. We fell asleep in the shack and when we woke up it was like this. I'm so sorry Rick. I let everyone down."

"None of us should have been drinking. We lost some of our family here today as a result. We are all guilty of bad judgment."

"Maybe we should get these bodies cleaned up and get Hershel to see to Tyreese and Beth." Michonne spoke up.

"I'll get started on a pile and we can burn em'." Daryl said. "We'll make a nice place for Sasha."

"Michonne can you do a quick sweep with me for any straggler's?" Rick asked.

"Sure." Michonne pulled her katana back out and they hurried off.

"Carl, take Carol and go get Hershel please." Daryl said.

Carl nodded and the two of them walked off together.

Daryl looked around and spotted Tyreese still on his knees, his shoulders shaking as he tried to regain control of his emotions.

Daryl sighed.

...

Beth watched Glenn embrace Maggie for the tenth time. He kept muttering how sorry he was and Maggie kept telling him she was okay.

Beth could see the exhaustion on Maggie's face. She must have been inside that guard shack for quite some time trying to keep the walker's out.

Maggie walked back over to her. "I was so scared that I lost you." Beth told her.

"I'm so sorry Beth! All I could think was that I had been so wrong for how I've been to you and Daryl and that I wouldn't get to see you again to apologize." Maggie sniffed and wiped at her face.

Beth wrapped her arms around her and tried to soothe her. "I'm okay Maggie. I forgive you. It's okay." She reassured her.

...

Daryl helped Will and Mike toss the last body onto a pile they had made over by the parking lot. Daryl had lost count at thirty-five. He figured they were lucky they had only lost one person. He also felt really bad that Tyreese was now alone in the world, all his family being gone now.

Daryl could sympathize except now he had Beth. He tried to hurry and finish so he could go to see her.

Last he had heard, Hershel had given Tyreese something to calm him and some of the others were taking turns keeping an eye on him. Carol had helped Beth get to the infirmary so that Hershel could also check on her ankle.

It was a shame they were going through so much. They were down by three within the last few weeks. Their group was shrinking.

Daryl had heard Rick talking about where they would bury Sasha and maybe someone trying to fashion together some type of marker for her grave.

Rick and Michonne had done their sweep but had found no other walkers.

"Nasty ass bastards." Daryl muttered under his breath as he kicked one with his boot.

...

"I'm fine, Daddy. It's just my ankle." Beth reassured Hershel for the tenth time.

His face was creased with worry. All this death was taking a toll on him and Beth knew he hated being minus a leg and not being able to be there to help his girls.

"I got so worried when I saw Carol bring you in. I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you girls. You're not supposed to outlive your children." Hershel said wearily.

"How's Tyreese?" Beth asked as she looked across the room to where he was resting on a cot.

Hershel glanced over his shoulder. "As good as can be expected all things considering. He's a strong man. I believe he will pull through with time. He's a good man and he understands that Sasha is in a better place. I've given him something to help him rest."

"What would we do without you Daddy?" Beth said as Hershel finished bandaging her ankle.

He smiled at her and kissed her cheek. "I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too."

...

Daryl knocked on the door to the infirmary and opened it to see Beth using an extra pair of crutches that they kept around for Hershel.

"I'll give you two a minute." Hershel said.

As he passed by Daryl he paused. "I can never tell you enough how much I appreciate how you look after Beth. I don't worry as much knowing she has someone like you to care for her. You make her happy and for that I thank you." Hershel squeezed Daryl's shoulder and walked out.

Daryl wasn't sure how he felt about that. He had never met any girl's father before and certainly never cared what anyone thought about him. But he realized that Hershel's opinion had mattered and he felt better knowing that he was okay with it.

He walked over at Beth who was standing there looking very beautiful despite her tangled hair, ripped clothes, and tired expression.

"Ya did good today. You held yer own out there." He stated.

She blushed a little. "Thanks. I was so scared."

He nodded and cleared his throat. "I was scared too."

Her eyes widened. "You were?"

He reached for her and pulled her close. "I didn't want to lose ya."

"You're never gonna lose me Daryl." She whispered.

He pulled back and stared at her. He battled emotions he wasn't used to feeling.

She smiled at him. "So the big bad wolf was finally scared of something, huh?" She teased.

He cocked his brow.

"Hell nah! And ya better not be telling anyone neither!" He growled but he was smiling as he said it.

****This was a hard chapter to write. I didn't want to kill off Sasha but as you know in a zombie apocalypse, no one is safe. I can't promise that there won't be others, but hopefully you all weren't too attached to her character. I tried to get as detailed as possible and I hope you were able to visualize the whole battle. Review and let me know what you think! As always, suggestions are always welcome! Thanks for being such great reviewers! :)**


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews for last chapter everyone! I got inspired today and I was really on a roll writing out this chapter! I've decided to let you in on most of the main character's point of views in this chapter. I'm hoping to give further insight into what everyone is thinking/feeling and how they are dealing with everything that's happening. I really hope you like the insight and I promise more Daryl/Beth to come! Review it if you like/dislike it, I love to hear about it!**

Daryl had spent the night alone in his room thinking. Beth had protested but he didn't want to take the chance of injuring her ankle further. He had gotten accustomed to sleeping with her and he found it hard to sleep at all without her especially considering the emotional events that had occurred.

He was up early this morning out in the storage shed they used outside. It was occupied with mostly overflow and extra mattresses from the bunks. There was a little space that Daryl had reserved for himself and he went there from time to time when he needed the quiet. He had stored a few tools there he had picked up along the way and he had them laid out on the table that was by the window. He had broken down a piece of furniture and was currently sanding it down to construct a cross for Sasha's grave.

Using some rope he twined it around the two pieces to hold the cross together and then studied his work. It wasn't much but then again, Daryl had never claimed to be a carpenter. He wasn't even sure he should be doing it. He didn't ask Tyreese if he had rather do it himself, he had just done it. Satisfied it was as good as it was going to get, he picked it up and exited the building, heading towards her grave.

They had buried her under a couple of shade trees on the outskirts of the small parking lot. The stench of smoke and walkers still filled the air from where they had burned the other bodies. Daryl approached the grave and positioned the cross at what he assumed was the head. Not knowing what else to do and never being one to be religious, he nodded and headed back to the buildings.

….

Tyreese woke up stiff and cramped. Slowly he came to awareness and remembered he had slept in the infirmary and was on the small cot. Thoughts of Sasha and flashes of her lying torn open by those monsters crowded his vision and made his head hurt. He couldn't quite process that she was gone and the fact that he hadn't been there to attempt to save her. He had failed as her brother and he hung his head as emotions threatened to consume him.

The door opened and Hershel walked in and was startled to see Tyreese sitting on the edge of the cot.

"Good morning. I had assumed you would be out for a while. I gave you quite a dose of medicine but then again, you're a big guy so it probably wasn't as strong as I thought." Hershel said as he walked over.

"I appreciate it. I wouldn't have slept at all without it I'm sure." Tyreese sucked in a breath. "I failed her."

Hershel twisted his crutches so that he could sit next to Tyreese on the cot. "You loved her. We all were fond of her. You brought her this far. We must remember that even in this cold world that God is still the one who makes the decisions and he decided that it was Sasha's time to go."

Tyreese nodded. He understood what Hershel was saying and he appreciated the comfort.

"I just feel like I could have saved her if I had been there. No one should have been drinking while on watch." Tyreese said a little angrily.

Hershel contemplated this for a moment considering it was his daughter and son-in-law that had been the culprits.

"This is very true. Maggie and Glenn made very poor choices and they will have to live with those now. There is a consequence for every action. I love those two very much, but that doesn't excuse their behavior. They are adults and should have known better." Hershel said.

"I want to see her." Tyreese said.

Hershel nodded. "Alright. I believe they buried her under the two shady elms at the edge of the parking lot. It's a beautiful spot and she should be peaceful there."

Tyreese stood and held out his hand to Hershel. Hershel shook his hand.

"Thank you. You're a good man Hershel." Tyreese said and walked out.

…..

Tyreese had no trouble finding the spot where Sasha had been buried. The soil was still disturbed from where the hole had been freshly dug and someone had fashioned a cross to put there.

The crisp wind cut across his face and wiped at his silent tears. He sat down heavily by the cross and just stared off into the distance. He remembered all the times before the apocalypse when she used to follow him around everywhere and all the times after when their bond grew even closer as they fought to stay alive together.

The sound of a leaf crunching broke him from his thoughts and he turned to find Michonne standing there.

"I didn't mean to interrupt, "She said, "I didn't know anyone was over here."

"It's okay. I don't mind the company. Sasha would appreciate you all paying your respects."

Michonne studied him a moment before speaking. "It's hard to lose siblings. Especially in such a horrific way. You must not blame yourself. Reliving the moment in your mind will not bring her back and she wouldn't rest well knowing you were upset."

Tyreese looked up at her. It was the first time he had really studied Michonne. She was a mystery to much of the group, always keeping to herself. He knew even less about her than the others because he hadn't been around them as long. She was a strong woman and he respected that about her. She was beautiful in her own way really.

He scooted over. "Have a seat."

She seemed to think about it for a minute and then she took off her katana and placed it by her side where she sat. They sat in silence for a while, the wind whistling through the trees.

"You lost someone?" Tyreese suddenly spoke up.

Michonne glanced at him sharply before nodding. "I lost my family. My brothers. My husband."

"I'm so sorry. It's really hard to lose your family." He said softly.

"It is. You have to stay strong. Take them in your heart, never forget them, but mourn them and move on because that is what they would want you to do." She said.

Tyreese pondered that for a few minutes. "You're a smart woman Michonne."

She smiled softly. "I've made lots of mistakes. You learn from them and you hopefully don't repeat them."

…

Rick was pacing back and forth in front of the guard shack. He had radioed Carol and asked her to have Glenn and Maggie meet him here. He needed to talk to them about what happened but he wasn't quite sure how to go about it. He stopped pacing for a few moments and spotted them slowly making their way towards him. He stood there staring until they reached him.

"Carol said you wanted to see us, Rick?" Maggie asked.

Rick looked at Glenn and almost did a double take. He looked awful. There were dark circles under his eyes and his skin was pale. He wasn't looking at Rick. Maggie didn't look much better, although she wasn't quite as pale.

Rick sighed. This was going to be hard.

"You know that what happened yesterday can never happen again," He began. They nodded. "I'm taking you off guard duty until further notice and you're not to go on any runs until I think it's time."

Glenn still hadn't spoken but Maggie looked at him. "It was an accident. We feel horrible about it."

Rick was back to pacing again. He was getting frustrated. The more Glenn remained quiet, the more Rick wanted to provoke some kind of reaction from him.

"What were you thinking!" He suddenly yelled. "We lost a life! A _life. _This isn't supposed to happen. You're supposed to be smarter than that!" Rick cried.

Glenn looked up then. "It was my fault. Don't yell at Maggie. _I'm _the one that took the liquor. _I'm_ the one that convinced her to drink it."

"That's bullshit! You are both responsible for your actions. Now, we have one dead and I'm forced to punish you for your actions. Do you understand?" Rick hissed. He was inches away from Glenn's face.

"I understand just fine." Glenn said between clenched teeth. "It will _never_ happen again. You have my word."

"We haven't had any sleep. We'll do whatever we need to do to make this right." Maggie said. She had tears streaking down her cheeks. "Sasha was my friend too."

"Let's just hope Tyreese can forgive you. We don't need this to split up the group. I've got my eye on the both of you." Rick pointed as he spoke. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"You're excused." He muttered.

…..

Glenn had never felt smaller than he did right at that moment. He knew he had screwed up. What started out as an innocent night of fun had ended in a morning of terror. The worst part about it was the fact that he had cost Sasha her life.

He and Maggie walked back towards the mess hall quietly. He could tell she was reliving the moment over and over in her head because her facial expression kept changing.

Glenn stopped in the courtyard and Maggie went a few paces further before she realized he wasn't beside her. She walked back to him.

"Are you okay?" She asked for probably the hundreth time.

"No. I. Am. Not. Okay." Glenn enunciated each word through gritted teeth.

Maggie recoiled from his anger. "I was just asking." She said softly.

Glenn's posture relaxed slightly. "We screwed up Maggie. I never should have grabbed that bottle and let us get drunk."

Glenn sat down on the concrete bench and put his head in his hands. He wanted to rip out his hair. Rick had been oddly calm at first and then his anger had just exploded. He knew that Rick felt lots of pressure and stress at the moment. He had felt like a kid getting grounded for staying out late to party. Not to say he didn't deserve it. It definitely wasn't one of his finer moments.

"You're right. It's not all on you though. I didn't have to drink but I did. We got too comfortable. Do you think Tyreese will ever forgive us?" She whispered.

Glenn shrugged. "I don't know. I wouldn't blame him if he didn't. I'm not sure how he is going to react when it all comes crashing down on him. "

Maggie didn't know what to say so she said nothing at all.

...

Carol had cooked a small breakfast of oatmeal this morning, not sure of who would actually show up to breakfast. So far, Will, Heather, and Mike were the only ones to make an appearance. That seemed about right to her, since they weren't as acquainted with Sasha as everyone else.

They were silent as they ate and Carol made herself and Judith a bowl and sat down beside them.

Judith was happily swallowing oatmeal as fast as Carol could feed it to her and Carol smiled as she watched Judith grin her happy grin. So far, she didn't seem affected by anything that happened to them. She was a very happy and content baby and Carol was determined to keep her innocent as long as possible.

Yesterday when she had misjudged and stabbed that walker in the shoulder instead of the head, she had thought that she was going to die. She had almost _wanted_ to die if it hadn't been Judith's face that kept her going. She was worn out. But then Daryl and Beth had appeared and Daryl had once again saved her in that way he had.

She sighed and forced herself to eat another bite of oatmeal. She wasn't really tasting it, she was just functioning on autopilot.

Carol was lonely. She hadn't wanted to admit it to herself but there it was. She wasn't really close to any one person in the group. Of course, she loved them all in her own way, but she didn't really have anyone to talk to about things. Sometimes she talked to Judith when no one was around and Judith would look at her like she was listening and would babble back at her as if in response.

She wondered how Tyreese was holding up. She knew it was only a matter of time before the shock wore off and he went to Glenn and Maggie. She didn't think he would hurt them, he wasn't the type, but he would definitely have a few things to say.

She thought about Rick and how he was just stepping back into his role as leader and now all this had happened. He had just become his old self again these past few months and she hoped this didn't set him back. She had always looked to Rick as a strong man. He intimidated her a little because of his cop background. She had strayed away from cops before all this, when Ed was beating her. She had been scared of attracting their attention. Ed would have come up with a good excuse for why she had bruises and then when it died down, he would have beat her even worse.

Rick was different though. Even though he had went through that rough patch after Lori died he still had a good heart like Daryl.

Those men were rare in Carol's book.

…

Beth was disappointed that Daryl wasn't in his room when she had passed by. She understood his nervousness last night about sleeping with her while her ankle was swollen but she still missed him all the same. It had taken her a while to fall asleep without him there. She had grown accustomed to reaching out for him in the middle of the night for his warmth and comfort. He had become her rock through the difficult times.

She was also finding out how difficult it could be to maneuver through the base with crutches. She was beginning to see how her daddy must feel.

Not one to swear, although she was seriously considering it, she bit her lip and attempted the three steps down to the ground. She was almost there when she misjudged the last step and felt herself falling. Knowing there was nothing she could do, she prepped herself for the landing.

Cold hands grabbed her around the waist and she felt herself being righted. Turning she saw Carl standing there.

"Thanks." She said.

"You're welcome." He replied. "Thought I would come check on you and see how you were holding up."

"I'm okay, all things considering. Where is everyone?" She scanned the yard but didn't see anyone.

"They're around. Dads at the guard shack and Daryl was walking the fences last time I saw him. I'm not sure about the others." Carl said.

"Oh. How are you?" She asked him. She shifted uncomfortably and he grabbed her again to steady her.

"Maybe you should sit?" He asked.

Beth nodded. "That's probably a good idea. I'm still not used to these things."

He helped her down to the step and she patted the spot next to her. "So sit. Tell me how you are."

He sat down and played with a twig he found on the ground. "You mean about Sasha? I'm okay. I didn't know her that well, ya know?"

Beth was quiet. "Not just Sasha. I was just wondering how you were doing in general as well. Last time we talked I know you said that you wished you had someone to talk and hang with. I just want you to know that you can still talk to me. You know, if you need to get anything off your mind." Beth offered.

Carl looked at her. "I can't talk to you about _everything_." He emphasized.

Beth blushed. "Of course not. But you can talk to your Dad or Daryl. Or even Will. How's he holding up?"

"He's better. He gets quiet sometimes and wants to be alone. I try to talk to my dad sometimes but he doesn't care about spending time with me like he used to."

"He's trying Carl. Give him some time. Everyone has been through so much it's a wonder we're not all crazy." Beth stretched her legs out in the sun.

It was cold and the wind blowing through didn't help matters. She was chilly but the sun felt so good she didn't want to move.

"What's the point anymore? We're all just stuck here with no goals and no dreams. We're stuck in this time warp, reliving the same day over and over only someone different dies. It's like the video games I used to play before. We only have so many options before we start repeating ourselves. One wrong move and it's game over." Carl said.

Beth looked at him and wondered how to bring him back from that way of thinking. He and Judith were the closest thing to kids they had left and Carl was pretty much a teenager now. She felt bad for Judith.

If Carl was this hardened about life now, what kind of future did that leave for Judith? She shivered again and it wasn't from the cold.


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note: I thoroughly enjoyed all of your reviews! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I hope I can continue to fufill your expectations. As always, more reviews pushes me to write more chapters! (hint, hint!) I can't complain though, you all are such awesome reviewers! You should see me checking my phone every time I get an email, praying that it's a review! LOL :)**

Beth was lying quietly in bed that night tossing and turning. She couldn't seem to get her mind to shut off long enough for her to fall asleep. She sighed and tried to rotate again but winced sharply when her ankle throbbed in protest.

"Damn." She muttered. A noise from the doorway made her sit up sharply.

"Did I just hear you curse?" Daryl asked with a smirk.

He was leaning against the doorway. Beth had went to sleep with her door cracked so that some of the heat from the heater outside would come into her room. She was scared to sleep with it all the way open when Daryl wasn't with her.

Beth sighed and flopped back onto the bed. "I can't sleep." She said.

Daryl stood up and walked over to her bed to sit on the edge. "Me either."

"How's yer ankle?" He asked softly.

"It's okay. Sore." She said.

He reached out and gingerly picked up her ankle and placed it into his lap. With the care you might give a newborn baby, he stroked her foot lightly. Their eyes met and she saw the same need in his eyes that she herself felt.

"Ain't happenin'." Daryl murmured.

Beth snorted. "That's not what I was thinking!"

Daryl smirked. "Yes you was. I could see it in yer eyes. You're hurt and I ain't takin' the chance of makin' it worse."

Beth crossed her arms with a frustrated frown. Daryl raised an eyebrow at her.

"I believe you gettin' addicted to me Angel." He mused.

"You wish." She joked and he chuckled. "Lay with me until I fall asleep?"

He gently put her ankle back down, shut the door, and took off his shirt, leaving just his pants.

"Safer this way." He teased.

He lay down next to her with his arms behind his head and she cuddled up close to him. A few minutes later, he could hear the sounds of her deep breathing and knew that she had fallen asleep.

He lay there a few more minutes, intending to get up after he was sure she wouldn't wake up. Instead, he also fell asleep, Beth wrapped around him.

…

The next morning, Beth made her way slowly over to the mess hall with the intentions of helping Carol with breakfast. As she made her way inside, she was stopped by the sound of Carol's laughter. Making her way slowly to the kitchen, she paused at the doorway to listen.

"I remember when Lori and I first got married. She couldn't even scramble an egg. The first time she cooked us breakfast, she made the mistake of leaving food in the microwave too long and it exploded. I walked into the kitchen to see her scrubbing at the microwave and grits boiling over onto the stove." Rick laughed. "She was so mad that I laughed at her, she made me eat all of that breakfast. It was the worst thing I ever tasted but I ate it. She practiced and became a better cook with time but we still joked about that breakfast."

"That's sweet. Lori was a good woman." Carol's voice said.

It grew quiet but Beth couldn't see what was going on.

"Yeah. Until all this happened and now Judith-" Rick began.

"Judith is a lovely little girl," Carol interrupted. "You have to forgive Lori, Rick. It's time."

Rick sighed. "I know. I've been thinking about it a lot lately."

"Good."

"You need some help in here? " Rick asked.

"Sure. You can get the coffee ready."

Beth heard noises as they moved around the kitchen. She was getting ready to walk out when she heard them begin again.

"You do a lot around here Carol. I don't think we've ever told you how much we appreciate it. _I_ appreciate it. I don't know what we would do without you, I just want you to know. The way you handle Judith is wonderful. She thinks of you like her mother." Rick said softly.

"I'm not trying to take Lori's place. I love Judith and would do anything for her."

"Oh, I know that. I appreciate the time you take with her and with me. It's nice to have a woman do things for me. I look forward to our talks at night after I rock Judith." Rick said.

Beth knew that was her cue to slip out. She had inadvertently walked into something more personal than she knew. She smiled to herself at the fact that Rick seemed to have found someone to talk to about his issues. She wondered about their newfound friendship.

Was it becoming something more?

…

Daryl had just left the guard shack. He had stopped by to check on Mike and see how things were going. It was a bitterly cold day and the sky was overcast but Daryl couldn't seem to stay inside. No matter how extreme the temperature, his home was the outdoors. He spotted Carl out of the corner of his eye walking over to him. He slowed so that he could catch up.

"Hey." Carl said.

It was so cold they could see each other's breaths as they breathed in and out.

"Hey. Everythin' alright?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah. Just bored."

Daryl grinned. "You need a hobby."

Carl snickered. "I have a hobby. I kill walkers."

"That ain't no hobby. That's a necessity."

"Well it's not like I can go to the movies or go to a friend's house." Carl kicked at the grass as he walked.

Daryl thought about that. Carl definitely needed someone his age to confide in. Everyone here was at least six or more years older than him.

"Maybe you and I can go huntin' and see what we can find. Might be some deer out." Daryl said.

Carl's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"I don't see why not. Things is quiet. If Rick approves, maybe we can go tomorrow or somethin'. I seen some woods back that way." Daryl tilted his head in that direction and Carl followed his gaze.

"That would be awesome! I'm gonna go ask him now!" Carl said excitedly and ran off.

It had been a long time since Carl had gotten excited over anything and Daryl was glad he could provide an outing for the kid. As long as Rick approved it, they would go at first light.

….

Beth had finished eating her food and sat there wondering what she was going to do with her day. They didn't have any major chores that needed to be completed so her day was mostly free. She lingered around after everyone had left and shooed Carol out so she could do the dishes.

She enjoyed the time alone to dunk her hands in the warm water and be alone with her thoughts. She was singing softly to herself a song her momma used to sing to her when a shadow appeared in the doorway.

Startled she dropped the dish she was holding and it crashed to the floor.

"It's just me. I'm so sorry Beth. You were singing and must not have heard me come in." Tyreese said.

She swallowed and tried to calm her beating heart. "It's okay. I was in another world."

She grabbed up a broom and Tyreese took it out of her hands. "Let me get this. I apologize for scaring you." He said.

"No, it's okay. I should have been paying more attention." She said.

She studied him as he cleaned up the pieces of the broken dish. He looked alright considering, just tired. She wondered if he had been able to sleep at all. He dumped the broken pieces into the trash can and put the broom back beside the pantry.

"Hungry? I didn't see you at breakfast." She said.

Tyreese rubbed his head. "I'm actually starving. I haven't eaten much lately…" He trailed off.

Beth nodded in understanding. "I can heat you some oatmeal and coffee?" She offered.

"That would be wonderful but are you sure you can handle it with your ankle? I don't want you to put yourself out." Tyreese replied. He sat on one of the stools they had sitting by the wall.

"It's no problem at all. The swelling has went down tremendously."

Beth watched him out of the corner of her eye as she heated the water on the stove for the oatmeal. He looked so weary and she could see the lines in his forehead as he looked down at the floor.

She finished the oatmeal and poured the coffee and sat it on the counter by his stool. She watched him eat for a few minutes.

"I have a confession." Beth said quietly.

Tyreese paused momentarily and raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" He asked.

Beth sighed. "I saw Glenn pick up the bottle of liquor and slip it into his pocket. I didn't say anything to anyone. Oh God, I'm so sorry!" She blurted.

Tyreese put his spoon down on the counter and looked at her. She had known him for some time now and knew he wasn't a violent man, but at that moment she was having second thoughts about telling him this while they were alone. To her surprise, he smiled slightly at her.

"You know, I've had a lot of time to think about things. I've had many different emotions – anger, grief, even happiness. I had anger towards God for taking her from me, grief for not being able to tell her goodbye, and happiness because I no longer have to worry if she's safe. My father always taught me that it does no good to point blame at someone, it won't change anything and it won't make you feel better. As hard as it's been to come to terms with having my sister gone, a part of me is happy that she is with our family in Heaven now and I know they are taking care of her." He said.

"Your father sounds like he was a very smart man," Beth paused. "Have you talked to Glenn?"

Tyreese shook his head. "No. Nor have I talked with Maggie. I think they are afraid to talk to me right now. I haven't approached them because I wanted time to think before we spoke. I'll give them time to come to me first, then I'll seek them out. It was irresponsible, but I know they feel remorse. It would be different if I thought they weren't sorry for their actions but it's clear they are battling their own demons at the moment."

Beth was silent as she contemplated this. She hadn't talked to Maggie or Glenn either. Last she heard, they had been spending all their time in their room. She wasn't sure what to say to her sister about what happened. She knew Maggie wasn't deliberately irresponsible, but she should know better. She would have to go and see her sister soon but Tyreese was right, they needed time of their own.

…

After a quiet dinner in which not everyone showed, Daryl walked with Beth back to their rooms. He kept his hand near her back as if he was scared she might topple over at any time.

"You know, I've been using these all day. I think I've gotten the hang of it." She teased.

"Just the same, I think I'll keep my hand here in case." Daryl said.

He watched her slowly climb the first two steps and then he grabbed her crutches and picked her up in his arms.

"Daryl!" She shouted.

"Ain't got all night. I turn into a pumpkin at midnight." He joked.

Beth snickered. He carried her and her crutches into her room and laid her down on the bed. He closed the door and took off his shirt and pants to lay beside her.

"Aren't you going to help me get undressed?" She asked innocently.

Daryl looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "You're temptin' fate. Ain't nobody ever taught you not to play with fire?"

"I like fire," She ran her fingers over his chest and he sucked in a breath. "Besides, I can't sleep in my jeans and shoes, it's uncomfortable!"

Daryl grumbled and moved to take off her shoes and socks. Then he pulled her jeans off so slowly she thought she could hear the earth rotate on its axis. When he finished, he moved back beside her and covered them both with the blankets. She immediately slid over closer to his warmth.

Daryl cursed when her panties rubbed his leg. "Are you tryin' to seduce me?"

"I don't know, is it working?" She asked.

"Lower yer hand a little an' you'll find out." He said.

He caught her hand as it started its travel down south. He kissed her hand and placed it back on his chest.

"Ain't happenin'."

Beth sighed. "Why does it feel like we had this conversation already? Can I at least have a kiss then?"

"What is it with you women? Always harassin' me." Daryl said.

He smiled and she laughed. As he leaned down to kiss her, he thought he would never grow tired of hearing her laugh.

Whether Beth knew it or not, he was hers now.

He only hoped they could make this work.


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note: Sorry it took me a little longer than expected to get this chapter out! Been a busy day for me. I've got some different things coming up so be sure to leave me a review and let me know how you are liking everything. I am truly humbled by your great reviews. To all of you who reviewed once and those of you who are regulars: thank you! It means the world to me, truly. :)**

The next morning Daryl opened the door to his room to find Carl hanging out in the hallway. He had a bag and a gun slung over his shoulder and he was leaning against the wall.

"Bout' time." Carl said.

"Ya ask yer dad?" Daryl drawled.

He turned back into the room to grab his crossbow and positioned it across his shoulder to lay against his back.

"Yep. He said it was okay."

Daryl studied the boy. He had that damn sheriff's hat on again and about three layers of clothes.

"You dress in tha dark?" Daryl smirked.

Carl shot him a look. "It's cold."

"Gotta man up if ya gonna be huntin' with me. Ain't got time for no pussies." Daryl commented as he walked into the hall and shut the door behind him.

Beth had already left for kitchen duty with Carol this morning and Daryl had been getting ready to go on this hunt with or without Carl. He needed to get out of these fences. He felt like everything was closing in on him. Carl followed behind Daryl as he went outside.

"Damn, it's colder than a witches tit out here." Daryl commented.

Carl snorted. "These three layers ain't looking too bad now, huh?"

...

Beth came out of the mess hall just in time to see Daryl and Carl walk up. She had fixed them a bagged lunch of granola bars, beef jerky, and canned fruit. She watched Daryl smile slowly as he sauntered over and she felt her own smile appearing in return. She handed him the bag.

"What's this?" He asked.

"Thought you might get hungry. Packed you some things to hold you until you return."

"Well ain't that sweet?" Daryl said.

Carl rolled his eyes. "It's not more granola bars is it?"

The group had an abundant supply of granola bars and it was quickly becoming a dreaded food.

"What difference does it make? This here's my bag. Get yer own bag." Daryl said.

Beth swiped at Daryl with her hand but he jumped out of reach. She was getting along a lot better on her ankle this morning and most of the swelling had went down. Instead of using the crutch she was putting little amounts of pressure on it to kind of "hop" around. She much preferred that method instead of the crutches. They made her feel awkward.

"There's enough in there for the both of you." Beth said with a look at Daryl.

Carl stuck his tongue out at Daryl. Daryl bumped him a little and Carl playfully bumped him back.

Beth shook her head. She leaned over and grabbed Daryl's face with both hands to pull him in for a kiss. Without looking, he slung the bag behind him into Carl's hands and wrapped his own arms around Beth.

"When you get done with all your mushy stuff, I'll be at the gate." Carl said from behind them.

Beth pulled away from Daryl slowly. "Be careful." She whispered.

"Ain't nothin'. Be back by dark Angel." He said with a wink.

...

Daryl and Carl took one of the trucks down to the woods that Daryl had pointed out the day before. There weren't a whole lot of options around, but he hoped at the very least, they could get some enjoyment out of being away from the daily grind at the base.

There were a few houses around but a lot of the area had yet to be developed and that was a good sign. Maybe there were still a few animals hanging around for them to shoot at.

Daryl pulled beside the road and cut the engine. He turned to Carl.

"Let's get a few things straight. Ya hunt with me, ya follow my lead. No bullshit. What I say goes. Got me?" He asked.

Carl nodded. "Sure."

Daryl exited the truck and grabbed a granola bar out of the bag for him and Carl.

"Better fuel up." He said as he tossed one at Carl.

Carl caught it and groaned. Daryl chuckled.

"Cheers." He said as he tipped his bar at Carl with a smile.

...

Beth decided that she was going to find Maggie today and demand she talk with her. They had been holed up long enough and Beth was worried about her sister.

On the way to their room, she was distracted by Carol who was sitting outside on the bench. Normally, this wasn't cause for concern but Carol was sitting there with a strange look on her face so Beth detoured and walked over to see what was going on.

"Carol?"

Carol glanced at her. "Oh, hey Beth."

"Everything okay?" She asked.

Carol sighed. "Everything's fine."

Beth sat down next to her. "That didn't sound like everything was fine to me."

Carol pulled at some weeds next to the bench and adjusted the hat she was wearing to keep her head warm. She picked at her fingernails and Beth waited patiently for her to spit it out.

"I...I kind of have this thing for someone. I'm not quite sure how to go about it. I've been out of the dating game for quite some time now." Carol laughed a little and looked at Beth.

Beth sat up straigher. "Oh? Do you know if they feel anything for you?"

"That's the thing. I don't think I'm going to tell them. He would probably laugh in my face. I'm not exactly dating material these days."

...

"Alright, listen. Just follow my lead and be as quiet as possible. Don't wanna scare anythin' off before we get a chance ta shoot it." Daryl whispered to Carl who nodded back quickly.

They had taken out one walker but so far there didn't seem to be any more lurking about. Daryl was enjoying himself. He was at home here in the woods and he breathed in the scent of the forest down deep in his lungs. He thought he caught a whiff of smoke but when he sniffed the air again he no longer smelled it. Glancing down at the ground he looked for any signs of tracks. They kept walking for some time before finding anything.

"Look! See that? That there's a hoof print off a deer. Kinda small, might be a doe." Daryl pointed to a barely noticeable print in the dirt. "Keep ready."

Daryl followed the prints until they disappeared. They were standing in a clearing. Baffled, Daryl tried to pick the trail back up but couldn't find it anywhere. He heard a crunch to his right and he raised his bow with narrowed eyes. Behind him, Carl raised and cocked his gun.

Daryl whirled on him. "What tha hell? You can't fire that thing in here! I thought you had a small bow or somethin'! He hissed.

"This is all I have!" Carl whispered back.

Distracted, Daryl felt in his pocket for his knife. "Just hold this. If I don't kill it first shot, you can do the kill shot."

As he handed the knife to Carl he caught a glimpse of something to his left. Before he could react, the lights went out and Daryl crumpled to the forest floor.

...

"It's Rick, isn't it?" Beth asked excitedly.

Carol's eyes grew wide. "How did you know that?"

Beth blushed. "I, um, overheard the two of you in the kitchen the other morning. I wasn't trying to spy but you sounded so happy."

Now it was Carol's turn to blush. "Yes, well, I didn't mean for it to happen. Rick is the last person I would have thought I would become attracted to but I have. He's become different here. He doesn't seem so out of sorts."

Beth smiled at her. She was genuinely happy for Carol. She was especially happy that Carol had found someone to focus on. She knew that there was a time when Carol had had feelings for Daryl and she couldn't ever imagine seeing him with someone other than her. He had become so much a part of her life lately that she didn't know why she had never discovered her feelings for him before.

"So have you hinted to him that you might want to take your friendship further?"

Carol laughed sarcastically. "What do I have to offer him? Come on Beth, I'm a far cry from Lori."

Beth felt her face grow hot. Carol had come to mean a lot to her lately. She wasn't going to let her downgrade herself.

"You are a beautiful woman! Of course you're not Lori! Thank goodness for that. You deserve some happiness too Carol. I think that it's time for Rick to move on as well. You've both been married and had a kid so at least you have something in common already." Beth told her.

Carol smiled and then reached over to hug Beth. Beth returned the embrace warmly.

"We'll see." Carol said.

...

Daryl slowly came to and realized he had a hell of a headache. _Must have drank too much wit' Merle._ He looked around slowly and realized that he was propped against a tree in the middle of the woods._ What the hell?_ Then it all came rushing back to him. He looked around quickly and spotted Carl off to the side talking with a boy that appeared to be around his age. Daryl groaned as his head spun and Carl finally noticed him.

"He's awake!" He said and walked over to Daryl.

"What tha fuck? My head's poundin' like a bitch." Daryl grumbled.

"I didn't hit you that hard. Quit being such a baby." A woman's voice spoke.

Daryl shook his head to focus his vision and saw a Chinese woman standing off to his right. She was tearing into a piece of meat in her hand and when the smell hit him Daryl realized it must be squirrel. His stomach grumbled, reminding him it was time to eat.

"You clocked me?" Daryl growled.

The woman crossed her arms and threw him a dirty look. "I thought you might be hostile. We don't take any chances." She retorted.

He took the time to study her. She had long, jet black hair, pale skin, and she was decked out in camouflage. Her eyes were so dark, they were almost black and she appeared to be no more than thirty. She wore lace up black boots that had pink shoelaces. He raised a brow at that.

"Pink?" He questioned.

She shrugged. "Girl's gotta have some color to wear besides blood red in this shithole."

"Who tha hell are you?" He asked.

"Name's Gabrielle. You can call me Gabby."

"This is Jacob, Daryl. He's been traveling with Gabby." Carl said from beside him.

Daryl turned to study Jacob now. He had light brown hair, tanned skin, and he was totally the opposite of Gabby.

He glanced at Gabby. "He yers?"

"No," Her face softened. "I saved him from walkers about a month ago. He was trapped in a vehicle. He had decided to sleep there. Not the wisest of choices." She said as her eyes slid over to Jacob.

"I know, I know." Jacob said in defense.

"Anyway. Carl here told me you all have a camp?" She asked nonchalantly.

Daryl shot Carl a look and Carl looked down at his shoes quickly. Grumbling under his breath he replied, "Might. What's it to ya?"

Her shoulders sagged and she softened her stance. "Thing is...I'm tired of running from place to place. The kid here needs a bed and some socialization."

Daryl crossed his arms and glanced at Jacob again. He was whispering to Carl about something and both of the boys were grinning. Daryl's gut clenched as he realized that if he turned them away, he could be turning down Carl's shot at having a real friend. And in this world, your choices were _very_ limited. He hated to make this kind of decision without consulting Rick or the group and he battled with himself for a few minutes before coming to a decision.

"Alright. Here's what we'll do. You can come back with us but only on a trial basis. You gotta be willing to pull yer weight and don't start any trouble. We'll give it a try an' if the others approve, then you can stay." He said.

Her eyes widened. "There are others?" She whispered.

"Yeah." He looked at her funny.

"I haven't been around lots of people in a long time. Before I ran across Jacob here, I had been on my own for quite some time. It gets old." She said wearily.

The more they talked, the more Daryl didn't sense an immediate threat and he felt better about his decision. The boy obviously wouldn't make it out here all winter in just the clothes they had on.

"This all ya got?" Daryl asked.

She pointed at a bag on the ground by a tree. "That's it."

Daryl nodded. "Alright. Guess this trip's over Carl. Load up."

"Jacob, help me with this deer. Should be enough to feed everyone." Gabby said.

Daryl glanced in the direction they walked and saw a decent sized doe hung by it's hind legs on a tree limb. _Damn broad shot my deer, _Daryl thought.

Carl ran to give them a hand and they followed along behind Daryl who shot at a walker.

"Damn Chinese." He muttered.

"Actually, she's Korean." Carl said from behind him.

"Whatever."


	33. Chapter 33

**Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out! I bet you all were wondering what had happened? I went to a Comic Convention yesterday and I got to meet Merle and T-Dog and also some of the walkers from the show! It was an amazing experience even though I didn't get to meet Daryl. :( LOL IronE Singleton(T-Dog) is such a sweetheart in real life and Michael Rooker(Merle) is exactly as he seems: sarcastic. LOL! Anyway, I was so tired I didn't get to get a new chapter out! I also want to note a boo boo I made last chapter. Thanks to a reviewer pointing out at me that I accidently put that Gabby was Asian. I meant to say that she's Korean just like Glenn. Anyway, I think it's been corrected and I do apologize! For all those concerned about Gabby being competition for Beth, I hope you enjoy this chapter! LOL **

When Daryl pulled through the gate with the others it was late afternoon. The sun had gone away and the wind had picked up so that it stung your cheeks with it's icyness. Gabby had rode in the truck with Daryl, while Carl and Jacob had opted to ride on the back with the deer.

Daryl pulled to the side as Rick, Beth, and a few others walked over. They were eyeing Jacob and Gabby with curiosity.

"Who's this?" Rick asked with a nod at the two.

"Came across em' in the woods. China here, clocked me in the head with a stick or somethin'." Daryl grumbled.

Gabby crossed her arms defensively. "First off, I'm Korean. Second, it was just a tap with the handle of my knife." She walked over to Rick. "My name's Gabrielle, everyone calle me Gabby. That's Jacob over there on the truck."

Rick nodded at her and looked at Daryl questioningly.

"They said they ain't got nobody else. Stole my damn deer so I figured the only way we get to eat some is to bring em' here." Daryl glared at Gabby.

Gabby walked over to Michonne who happened to be standing next to Beth. She looked at Michonne's katana.

"Badass weapon." Gabby told Michonne.

Michonne nodded. "Thanks."

Gabby smiled at her before acknowledging Beth standing there. "Hi. I'm Gabby."

Beth smiled back at her. "Beth."

Daryl was trying to help Rick pull the deer off the back of the truck and keep an eye on Beth at the same time. He could see her talking and laughing with China.

"Daryl?" Rick asked.

Daryl shook his head to clear his thoughts and looked at Rick. He was looking at him expectantly as if waiting for an answer. _Well, shit._

"Uh." Daryl said.

"I asked what you told them. How long did you tell them they could stay?" Rick asked again.

"Oh, I ain't really said. I just said they could stay a while and we'd see if it worked out." Daryl told him.

"They seem alright to you? I mean, I trust your judgment and everything, it's just we don't need to lose anyone else right now." Rick whispered.

"I know. They seem alright. I'll keep an eye out for them. Carl and the kid seem to have hit it off." Daryl nodded towards Carl who was busily talking to Jacob.

Rick followed his gaze and Daryl saw his features soften. Daryl knew how much Rick regretted not being able to give Carl a normal life. It was a sore subject for Rick about him spending time with Carl.

"He really needs a friend," Rick blew out a breath." I can't screw this up for him. We'll give them a shot."

Daryl nodded. "Fine."

...

Beth was listening to Gabby talk to her and Michonne about how she had come across Jacob sleeping in a car. It was clear to see that she had feelings for the kid even though she tried to disguise it. She was talking about the deer and how she was looking forward to some fresh meat.

"Wait. _You_ shot that deer?" Beth asked.

Gabby nodded. "Yeah, I did. Nice size, huh?" She asked.

Michonne nodded. "That's impressive that the two of you have survived so long together and before you met each other."

Beth raised an eyebrow at this. Michonne wasn't easily impressed. Gabby blushed at the compliment.

Daryl walked over and Beth leaned into his side a bit possessively. She didn't know much about this new woman yet, but she didn't want her getting any ideas either. She had worked too hard to get Daryl to this point in their relationship. _And what point is that?, _she asked herself.

"I'm gonna go get this deer cleaned up and wash off before dinner. Everythin' go okay today?" He asked Beth.

Beth glanced at him distractedly. She noticed that Gabby hadn't paid Daryl any attention since he had walked up. She was in deep conversation with Michonne and it was apparent that neither of them were paying her and Daryl any attention. Beth felt herself relax a little.

She looked at Daryl. "Everything went fine. You feeling okay?"

He pressed his hand to his head. "Damn headache from China over there but other than that I think I'm okay." He complained.

She nodded and he brushed a hand over her cheeck before walking away. She watched him go for a few minutes and turned to join back into the conversation with the others. Only they weren't there. They were walking away and talking to each other. She could hear Gabby laughing at something Michonne must have said.

_Well at least she doesn't seem to be interested in Daryl._

That was a good thing because Beth wasn't used to handling jealousy.

...

Dinner that night was very relaxed and casual. Glenn and Maggie had finally decided to join the crowd and they appeared to be looking a little better to Beth. Everyone was in good spirits over the fact that they had meat to eat. Carol had cooked up a good stew with rice and canned carrots and everyone was voicing their appreciation.

She noticed Glenn take a seat across from Tyreese at his table and she watched them talk for a while before turning back to focus on her own food. Daryl walked in with his hair still wet from his shower. His eyes met hers briefly and he smiled before going to serve himself some food.

She blushed as she remembered meeting him in the showers only an hour before. He had been taken by surprise as she had locked the door and joined him. They hadn't talked, just pleasured each other with their hands and mouths since Daryl didn't carry condoms everywhere he went. She remembered his mouth on her and the way she had moaned and bucked beneath him. She blushed a deep scarlet as she felt herself getting hot all over again.

"Thinkin' bout' somethin'?" Daryl drawled as he sat across from her.

She blushed again and pretended to stab at him with her fork. He winked at her and began eating heartily. She glanced around at the others. Carol was sitting with Rick, Carl, Judith and Jacob. Michonne was listening to something Gabby was saying while Heather and Will chatted next to them. She noticed that Maggie had sat down next to Glenn and she watched as Tyreese turned to talk to her. Maggie's expression was guarded for a few minutes and then she saw her features gradually soften.

She was beginning to wonder where her daddy was when finally she saw him walk into the door. He was bundled up tightly to try and keep out the cold and she went to help him.

"Here, come sit down Daddy. Let me fix you a plate." Beth said.

He squeezed her hand as she turned to walk away.

"How are you Daryl?" Hershel asked as he situated himself in a chair at their table.

"I'm alright. How you holdin' up?" Daryl asked him.

Hershel sighed. "It's hard. This cold is getting to me. My old bones don't want to move like they used to. Sometimes I wonder how many more winters I will last."

Daryl frowned. "Nah, you can't think like that. Whose gonna fix everyone up if ya give up?"

Hershel smiled. "I've been teaching Heather a lot. She's got a little background knowledge of nursing and she's a willing student. I get a lot of joy out of teaching others. I always thought Maggie would follow in my footsteps and be a vet but I think she would have chosen a different path." Hershel glanced in her direction fondly.

"What bout' Beth?" Daryl asked.

"Beth was..._is_, my baby. I've always kept her too close when I should have been letting her test the waters. She was alawys a good singer, just like her Mama. I guess given the chance, she would have persued that." Hershel said.

Daryl nodded thoughtfully. Beth approached the table and set Hershel a bowl of Carol's stew in front of him. She watched him dig into it and she sat back into her own chair across from Daryl.

"Where were you?" Beth asked Hershel.

Hershel paused with the fork halfway to his mouth. "I went out to the guard shack to talk with Mike about Heather's progress."

Beth wrinkled her forehead. "Her progress?" She asked.

"Yes. I was just telling Daryl here how I have been teaching her everything that I know. You know, just in case something happens." Hershel said.

Beth glanced at Daryl then back to her Daddy. "I wish you wouldn't say things like that."

...

After dinner Daryl hung around for a few minutes to wait on Beth to finish helping Carol clean up. He was sitting on one of the tables, feeling content and very full.

A black boot propped up on the bench next to his. "Hey." Gabby said.

Daryl nodded at her and looked around. He didn't see anyone with her and he hadn't known she was still in here.

"Can I ask you a question?" Gabby asked.

"I don't know, can you?" Daryl returned smartly.

Gabby smirked. "What's the deal with Michonne?"

Daryl gazed at her suspiciously. "Why?"

She rolled her eyes and pushed him over so she could sit down. "Because I want to know."

"Why you so curious?"

Gabby lowered her voice. "Listen. I got a thing for chicks and I want to know if she's got anybody special. Well?"

Daryl did a double take. _This chick was a lesbian?_ _And she was crushin' on Michonne?_

"I ain't sure I'm qualified to answer this question. Maybe you should talk to somebody who knows 'er better."

...

Beth watched Gabby talking with Daryl while she dried a dish with a cloth over and over again. She kept telling herself she was a big girl and that she wasn't going to get jealous.

It wasn't working.

"You're going to rub the print off of that dish honey." Carol said from beside her.

Beth glanced at her and then down at the dish sheepishly. "I'm sorry."

Beth saw Gabby push Daryl to the side and scoot in next to him to continue their conversation. She felt her shoulders tense and she made a decision. She flung the dish cloth to the side and marched over there. She could feel Carol watching from behind her.

She already had her speech ready. She was going to confront this woman and tell her in simple terms that Daryl was claimed and that this wasn't how they did things around here but when Gabby smiled at her warmly she lost her nerve.

Then Gabby touched Daryl's arm and Beth found it again. She put her hands on her hips and let it fly.

"Alright, that's it! This isn't how we do things in this group. We don't just move in on someone's territory without asking! Daryl is with _me _and I'm not about to let some...some- _China Woman _steal him out from under my nose!" Beth flustered as she used Daryl's term for Gabby.

Daryl scratched his head and tried not to smile. It didn't work. He was so amused by Beth standing there with her shirt still damp from dishes with her face flaming and hips cocked to the side he couldn't help himself. He laughed.

Beside him, Gabby smiled softly. Beth shot daggers at the both of them.

"I demand to know what's so funny!" She yelled.

Daryl stood up and put his arm around her. She stood there rigidly.

"Angel, China here, was just asking me about Michonne." Daryl said quietly.

"What about Michonne?" Beth asked confusedly.

"She wants ta know if Michonne's available." Daryl said.

Gabby was eyeing the two with interest. Carol had also abandoned the dishes to step forward and watch the conversation.

"I don't understand. Do you need help with something?" Beth asked Gabby.

Daryl snorted and tried to control himself. "She uh, wants to _get to know_ Michonne. Like how you an' I _know_ each other." He said and he raised his brows at her.

Beth thought about this for a moment and then realization dawned. She gasped and put her hand to her mouth.

"Oh my! I'm so sorry! I had no idea!" Beth apologized.

Gabby stood and smiled at her. "It's quite alright. I just wanted to get a feel for Michonne before I approached her. I couldn't really get much out of her at dinner."

Beth could hear Carol snickering behind her. She couldn't believe how she had acted. She would definitely have to watch that in the future.

"You weren't jealous now, were ya Angel?" Daryl whispered in her ear.

"You just wait until we're alone later Dixon!" She hissed.

She was smiling as she said it though.


	34. Chapter 34

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter everyone! I've got ideas for the new people, especially Gabby. I do want to mention that if you want me to branch out into any of the other's "relationships" please review or PM and let me know. Otherwise, I'll stick to Beth/Daryl and seeing everything from their point of view. That being said, I enjoyed writing this chapter. I hope you all do as well. :) **

The next day Beth awoke freezing uncontrollably. She reached for Daryl and realized he wasn't there. _No wonder I'm cold_, she thought. She huddled into the blankets and her teeth chattered. She was getting ready to climb out of bed and look for him when he walked in. He was covered in snow and layers of clothing.

He shook the snow off of his jacket and took it and his crossbow off. He bent down to take off his boots and saw her sitting up staring at him.

"Mornin'." He mumbled.

"Is it snowing out?" Beth asked with wide eyes.

"Yep. Pretty nasty day out. Might wanna stay wrapped in them blankets. Not much we can do on days like this." He said.

He stripped out of his pants but left on his shirt and crawled into bed beside her. She shivered as she felt his icy hands on her but a few minutes later, she felt his body heat warming her and she sighed. He rubbed her hands and wrapped his body around hers to ease her shivering.

"You ain't getting' sick on me are ya?" He asked.

"No. I just woke up cold because you weren't here to keep me warm." She pressed her face against his chest and sighed contentedly.

Daryl's heart thumped painfully. He didn't think he would ever get used to the fact that someone cared enough to miss him when he was gone. He was trying to get better but it wasn't like he could change a lifetime overnight. He had never depended on anyone but Merle and even Merle had let him down. As Beth snuggled further into him and his grip tightened on her, he felt an odd sense of peace.

At the moment, he also felt aroused and he was sure Beth felt it too because she slowly drew back to look at him. Her eyes had that fire behind them that he had come to know so well.

Beth pressed her lips to his neck and nibbled softly. She had found out that Daryl was very sensitive there and she was rewarded for her efforts when he shivered slightly. She pulled off his shirt and slid out of her panties. She climbed to sit on top of him and when she grinded her hips across his boxers he let out a groan. His hands reached up to grip her hips tightly.

"Easy, Angel. Don't want this over 'fore it starts." He said.

He flipped her over and she squealed as he leaned over her. He never let her stay on top for long. He liked to be in control of the situation, which was just fine for Beth, because she wasn't very skilled anyway. Leaving her momentarily, he grabbed a condom and shucked off his boxers. She watched him as he rolled it onto himself and the way his eyes stayed glued to her body.

Coming back over to her he kissed her softly at first and then more deeply as the intensity grew between them.

"Tell me what ya want." He whispered in her ear.

"I want you." She said simply.

"Where?" He teased.

She flushed at his directness. "I…I…," Beth's face grew more red as she placed his hand between her legs. "Here."

He kissed her lips. "You remember that book a yers?"

She nodded shyly. He reached under the bed and pulled it out. "Pick one." He said.

Beth's eyes widened. A lot of these positions looked _intimate._ She didn't know if she could do those.

"It's alright. We can learn together." Daryl said at her look.

Beth flipped through the pages and found a position she thought she might be comfortable with. Daryl studied it for a minute before looking at her again.

"Ya sure?" He asked softly. She nodded again, not trusting herself to speak.

He flung the book to the side of the room and crawled under the covers. He trailed his kisses down past her navel until he reached the very core of her. He kissed her softly there at first, feeling her relax a little, then he stroked her with his tongue deeper. She cried out and tried to lift her hips. He pressed them back to the bed with his hands and continued his torment. Finally, feeling her quiver as she grew close, he pulled back and returned to her.

"Daryl!" She panted wildly.

"Shh… It's okay." He soothed her.

Turning her to the side with her back pressed against him, he lifted her leg a little and pushed inside of her. The angle was so intimate and the friction so tight that they both groaned aloud. Daryl felt his muscles tighten as he tried to hold back to wait for Beth. Sweat popped out onto his forehead.

"Angel….I ain't… gonna last." He panted in her ear.

She cried out her release then, her whole body shaking. Daryl joined her a few seconds later and he pulled out to collapse beside her. They were both sweating and breathing hard. She turned to him and pressed a kiss to his chest before they fell asleep again, twined together in their own little world.

…

Later that day, Beth and Daryl finally bundled up to try and brave the cold and make it to the mess hall for food. Everyone had their own little stash of snacks in their rooms but it wasn't enough to keep the hunger pangs away. As they stepped out, Beth gasped at her surroundings.

Gone was the cement of the courtyard and the grass. In its place were mounds and mounds of snow. It blanketed the whole base with its white fluffiness. It sparkled in the sun that was trying to shine down from the clouds. It was absolutely breathtaking.

"It's so beautiful!" Beth exclaimed as she ran out into the middle and spun around slowly.

She held out her hands to catch some of the flakes. It was so easy to forget about walkers when the snow blanketed everything with a clean slate. She couldn't remember the last good snow they had had. Opening her mouth wide, she stuck out her tongue to let the flakes touch the tip. Giggling, she spun again.

Daryl was struck dumb for a moment as he watched the enchanted picture Beth made as she turned in the snow, laughing. She truly looked like an angel with the snowflakes that glistened in her hair and her eyes that glowed with happiness. She took his breath away and he felt that thump in his heart again. He shook his head and walked over to her.

"Come on. Let's go see if anyone else is around." He said.

She followed him into the mess hall and found that the whole group seemed to be huddling in there. It was significantly warmer inside and she thought that was due to the smells of food that were wafting from the kitchen as well as all of the body heat. Either way, she slowly began to thaw out enough to remove her jacket and her stomach grumbled in response to the smells.

She sat down at the table where the others had gathered. She noticed they were all drinking a steaming liquid from cups.

"What are you all drinking?" Beth asked.

"Hot chocolate. Carol found it. Want some?" Maggie asked her.

She smiled at Maggie. "Sure."

She watched her sister walk away. She looked good today. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold but her eyes no longer had that tired look to them. She glanced around and spotted Glenn. He was talking to Gabby and he also appeared in better spirits this morning. _Maybe the cold is forcing everyone to stay inside and talk out their issues._

…

Daryl sat down next to Beth and was startled to see Maggie place a cup of hot chocolate in front of him.

"Thanks." Daryl tipped his head at her.

She smiled at him. "You're welcome. Thank you for taking such good care of my sister. I know I've been a little hard to get along with these past few weeks, but I promise I'm going to try and do better." Maggie smiled at Beth over Daryl's head.

Daryl watched Beth embrace her sister warmly. He was always curious at how other siblings acted. He and Merle had never had the kind of relationship where they talked about things openly. As far as Daryl knew, Merle had never confided in anyone. He always wondered if Merle would have been different if he had had someone to love him like Daryl had now. Merle saw emotion as a sign of weakness so Daryl had been careful throughout his life to keep his hidden deep inside. However, being with Beth threatened his emotions every time. He sipped his hot chocolate and watched everyone silently.

He watched Carol approach Rick and grab his cup to refill it, squeezing his shoulder gently when she returned. He cocked his head as Rick gave her a warm smile and Daryl wondered if there wasn't something happening between them. He glanced around and saw Carl and Jacob at the next table building a house out of cards. The concentration on the two boy's faces was intense as they tried to be careful not to knock it over.

Heather and Mike were snuggled up together listening to Tyreese and Rick tell tales of their younger days. Gabby was talking to Michonne quietly about something and Michonne was nodding her head in response. Daryl still couldn't believe Gabby was into chicks. He wondered how Michonne would react when she found out. The only people missing were Hershel and Will. Will was on watch duty so Daryl figured Hershel must be hiding out in his room, trying to stay warm. He sipped his drink again and savored the warmth as it traveled into his body.

Beth grabbed his hand and he turned to her. She smiled at him. His gut clenched every time she turned her smile full blast on him. _Maybe Merle was right._ _Maybe he was a pussy, but he couldn't tear himself away from her. _

….

Beth grabbed Daryl's hand and squeezed. "Hey! Let's go have a snowball fight! Who's with me?" Beth announced to the group.

Everyone grew quiet and at first she thought no one would volunteer but then everyone started murmuring excitedly. They all put back on their layers and Carol went to turn the food down to warm while they went outside.

"Let's do teams!" Carl yelled excitedly.

"Yeah!" Jacob agreed.

"Why don't you two be the captains?" Rick suggested to them.

The boys whooped and yelled as they stood in front of the others. They whispered frantically to each other for a minute before choosing their "teams".

"I want Daryl." Carl said.

"Gabby!" Jacob yelled.

"Dad." Carl said.

This went back and forth for a few minutes before the teams were settled. Carl would have, Daryl, Rick, Michonne, Carol, Heather, and Maggie. Jacob picked Gabby, Mike, Beth, Tyreese, and Glenn. It was decided that they would each choose their stations and at the count of three, they would let their snowballs fly. Whoever was hit had to graciously step out of the game until there was no one left on their team.

"Let's make it interesting. Losers have to serve the winner's dinner and do the dishes tonight." Glenn announced.

"Game on!" Carol yelled.

Everyone else agreed and ran to there posts. Beth started packing her snowballs as tightly as she could get them. This wasn't her first snowball fight. She and Maggie had used to have them all the time when they were younger.

The boy's cried war and all around snowballs began to fly. Beth yelped as one zoomed close to her head. She looked over the bench she was hiding behind and spotted Daryl's head from across the way as he ducked back down. Her eyes narrowed.

_So he thought she was going to be an easy out, huh? She would show him and get revenge for yesterday while she was at it. _

Using the flying snowballs and falling snow for cover, she cautiously crawled her way closer to where he was hunkered down. She watched as he popped his head up and let one fly. She saw his eyes quickly scan the yard for her and she snickered to herself.

Packing the tightest snowball she could she made her way around behind him. The others were all laughing and shouting and she could no longer tell who was in or out.

Holding her breath, she crept up behind him and before he had time to react, she shoved a snowball down his shirt and mashed the other on his head.

He yelped as the icy snowball slid down his back in a wet trail. Growling at her, he tackled her into the snow and she laughed so hard she thought her sides would split in two.

"So you wanna play dirty Angel?" He growled.

Beth felt tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to contain her laughter. "That's payback Dixon!"

Daryl slowly wiped the tears from her eyes and her laughter subsided as he continued to stare at her.

His lips descended upon hers and he kissed her with a passion that left her breathless. He pulled back and she just stared at him with a smile.

He smiled back and brought the snowball from behind his back and stuck it down her shirt. Beth yelled and rolled away from him.

He winked. "That's what you get for tryin' to outsmart a Dixon!"


	35. Chapter 35

****This is a deep chapter. I will have more words at the end.**

It had been a few weeks since Beth had suggested the snowball fight in which Carl's team had won. It had been a happy day with the losing team having had no hard feelings. Beth sighed as she thought back to that day. The cold was slowly starting to fade but the air was still chilly and Beth was worried. Her Daddy had developed a bad cough in his lungs from all the cold wet air and he thought it might be pneumonia. Beth had been sitting with him for a couple of days, refusing to leave his side.

Maggie was different. She couldn't stand to stay in the room for very long so her visits; although frequent, were short. Maggie preferred to keep busy out in the yards and Beth believed she was in denial about the whole thing.

That's what Maggie did sometimes. She kept going when times got tough and she tried to lighten the mood with jokes. Except this time no one was in a joking mood. Everyone skirted quietly around as if they were afraid suddenly to make too much noise.

It wasn't looking good for Hershel. Beth and Heather had been giving him antibiotics for a week now and his coughs still shook his whole body. He had moments of fever and on one particularly horrible night, Beth had been sure she would lose him. She refused to leave the room except to use the bathroom and then she was right back, sitting in the chair next to her father. Daryl tried to coax her out of the room to shower and nap but she wouldn't listen. If her Daddy died, she wanted to be there.

….

Daryl ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He chewed on his thumb and cursed.

"Everything okay?" Rick asked as he walked up to him.

"I don't know what to do." Daryl responded.

He didn't have to tell Rick what he was talking about. It was all the group ever talked about lately. They whispered and talked amongst themselves about what would happen if they lost Hershel, who was not only a part of their family, but the only doctor they had. His loss would be great and they all prayed that he would pull through. As the days passed, that hope was dwindling.

"Nothing we can do man. We just gotta keep going. If he doesn't make it…." Rick trailed off.

Daryl nodded. He didn't want to say it. Someone would have to put Hershel down if he died. No one wanted that kind of responsibility. It was one thing to shoot a walker that was coming at you to kill you but to put a bullet through a living man's head was another. Especially when it was someone you cared about and Daryl realized he _did _care.

"How is Beth holding up?" Rick asked.

Daryl looked at the ground. "She won't come out but to use the bathroom. Carol and I take 'er food but she eats very little. I don't know what to do. I feel like I should be doin' somethin'."

"Nothing you can do except to be there for her." Rick said softly.

Daryl looked at him then. "How am I s'posed to do that an' she won't let me touch 'er?"

Rick didn't have an answer.

….

Beth was curled up in the chair next to Hershel sleeping when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Gabby was standing next to her when she looked up. She glanced at Hershel and saw he was sleeping. She made sure to catch the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. She relaxed a little.

"How is he?" Gabby asked as she kneeled beside Beth's chair.

"No worse, but no better." Beth sighed.

"Hang in there. Maybe he will pull through. You must hold strong to your faith." Gabby said.

Beth looked at her. "I didn't know you were religious."

"Religion cannot be defined to just one definition. My Mother was a Buddhist and my Father was an Atheist."

Beth gasped. "Your father didn't believe in God?"

Gabby smiled softly. "Atheists are often misjudged. Just because they do not believe in the existence of a God, does not mean they are bad people. My father was a very good man."

"So what religion do you practice?" Beth asked.

"I guess if I had to choose I would lean more towards Buddhism. I believe that life is a never ending circle. When we die, we are reborn again. There is no beginning and there is no end."

Beth strived to find comfort in that statement. She glanced at the bible on her daddy's bedside table. It was all she had ever known.

"I'm not trying to turn your beliefs Beth. Do something for me. I want you to try meditation. Close your eyes." Gabby said.

Beth took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"Now picture the last time you were happy. Where were you? Put yourself there in your mind. Turn out everything except the picture in your head. Totally relax your body and let your mind take over." Gabby's voice washed over Beth soothingly.

She thought about what Gabby had said. _Her happy place?_ _Sounds a little cliché. _She focused anyway and soon her thoughts drifted to Daryl. It startled her a little that her mind would take her to Daryl instead of her family but lately he had been her world. She saw Daryl smiling at her with that half smile of his over his shoulder. She saw his intense look of concentration as he shot his bow. She even saw his eyes as he kissed her body. Her breathing deepened as she saw her Daddy talking to Daryl softly and even though she hadn't heard what was said, she knew he had come to terms with their relationship. She saw Maggie apologize to Daryl and her sister give her a smile as they embraced.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she never noticed when Gabby left the room. She only opened her eyes when her Daddy said her name.

"Beth." Hershel wheezed.

…..

Beth snapped out of her thoughts and flew to her daddy's side. He was struggling to cough and she propped up his head and gave him his pillow to help him through his coughing fit. When it was finally over, he lay back on the pillow looking exhausted. It tore at her heart to see him looking so frail.

She smoothed a washcloth over his forehead. "How do you feel Daddy?"

He sighed, "The same." She asked him the same question every day and every day he had the same answer. She was hoping that today would be different.

He looked like he wanted to say something and he dragged himself up to lean against the wall. She helped fluff the pillows behind him.

"Sweetheart. It's time." He said softly.

Beth felt the tears spring to her eyes. "No, Daddy."

He squeezed her hand. "I'm not getting any better. I'm too old and there's not adequate medical care for me to fight off the infection."

Beth placed her head in his lap and Hershel stroked her hair. "I can't let you go. I'm not ready." She sobbed.

"You have Daryl to care for you and Maggie has Glenn. You know I wouldn't tell you it was time if I thought there was a chance sweetheart. You girl's have been my life. It's time I went to join your mother." Hershel said raggedly.

There was a knock on the door and Daryl stuck his head in. His eyes grew wide as he took in Beth crying on Hershel's lap.

"Daryl, I need you to get Maggie for me if you don't mind. But first, I would like you to sit." Hershel said.

He coughed again and Beth and Daryl both grabbed his pillow and helped hold it to his chest as the spell passed. Hershel briefly closed his eyes and Beth's face grew paler.

He opened his eyes a few minutes later and gestured for Daryl to sit. "I was just telling Beth that it's time for me to go," Daryl didn't speak and he put his arm around Beth as Hershel continued. "I want you to promise me one thing. Please take care of her. I am entrusting you with her life and I know that you and Glenn will do whatever is necessary for my girls. They're going to be upset and they may say some things they don't mean when it happens but just hang in there. They'll come around in their own time. They have each other and the two of you plus the group. This is our family now and you and Glenn are my sons." Hershel said.

….

Daryl walked out of the room a few minutes later in a daze. He was supposed to go and get Maggie but he couldn't get his legs to cooperate. He was thinking of everything Hershel had said to him. _He was his son?_ No one had ever called him son in all his life. He was overwhelmed with the sense of responsibility that came with everything that Hershel had said. He knew that he would always protect Beth in any way that he could but was Hershel implying that his and Beth's relationship went deeper? Daryl began to feel dizzy and sat down outside on the steps.

"Hey. Are you okay?" Heather stopped her trek up the steps to ask.

"Maggie." Daryl mumbled.

"Maggie?"

"I'm supposed to find Maggie." Daryl said.

Heather looked at the baffled expression on Daryl's face and knew something was seriously wrong. She had been coming to check on Hershel as she did every day. He had been giving her last minute guidance on what to do in the event of his death. He hadn't been improving and even in her limited experience she knew given his age and the living conditions, his chances of pulling through were slim.

"I'll go find Maggie. You sit there until I get back." She said.

Daryl nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak again. He just sat there and stared and wondered how things could go so quickly from doing okay to shit.

…

Beth was still lying in Hershel's lap when Maggie entered. She could see Glenn behind her, his face an expression of anxiety and fear. He whispered that he would give them a few minutes and that he would be right outside. Maggie shut the door and walked over. Beth got up and Maggie burst into tears as she hugged her sister.

"Daddy?" Maggie questioned.

Beth realized Hershel's eyes were closed. "He's still here. I don't know for how much longer."

Maggie pulled back to stare at her sister tearfully. Beth squeezed her hand tightly and they walked over to sit on the bed. Each of them grabbed a hand and Hershel opened his eyes.

"I must have dozed. Maggie, honey, don't cry." Hershel said hoarsely.

"I'm not letting you die Daddy! You can fight this! I know you can!" Maggie said fiercely.

Hershel smiled a little for the first time in days. "Oh, Maggie, my little warrior. Always fighting until the end. Don't ever lose your spirit."

Both girls were sobbing so hard they were gasping for breath. Hershel's heart clenched as he watched his two daughters cry for him. He swallowed hard and prayed to God for strength for his girls.

"It's time I joined your mother. You girls are going to be fine. You have two wonderful men to look after you. I can rest easy knowing you will be taken care of." He said.

"I'm not ready to say goodbye!" Maggie cried. "I need you!"

Beth wrapped her arms around her sister as her shoulders shook from her sobs. She rested her cheek on Maggie's back and tried to soothe her while fighting tears of her own.

"You don't need me anymore. You haven't for some time. You love me, yes. I know it's hard to say goodbye. Believe me, it's the last thing I want to do but I need you to be strong for each other. Both of you girls promise me! Promise me you will stick together!" Hershel demanded hoarsely.

Beth and Maggie nodded. They slowly wiped the tears from their eyes and held Hershel as he had yet another coughing fit. It was a bad one and he choked a little as he tried to cough up the fluid that was filling his lungs.

…

There was a tap at the door and Heather slowly poked her head in. "May I come in?" She asked.

Maggie and Beth both nodded and moved over so she could get around the bed. She opened a bag and listened to Hershel's lungs with a frown. He looked into her eyes and she could see that he was done fighting. Sighing, she put her stethoscope up and smiled at him softly.

"I already know." He said.

Heather nodded. "I figured. We could try to drain but there's the chance for infection…"

Hershel shook his head. "No! I'm not dragging everyone through that. I know the chances and they aren't favorable in these conditions. I'm not putting my family through that." He looked at Beth and Maggie.

"Okay." Heather said quietly.

"I left some notes for you in my bag. Use it. We've been over this before but remember Carol has some slight experience with the sick. She may be of some help to you if you require it. My girls will also be willing to help you at anytime." Hershel said.

"How are you doing this?" Heather asked. She glanced at the girls but they remained focused on Hershel.

"I need to see Glenn and Daryl. Alone." He said.

Maggie and Beth began to protest. "Daddy!" Maggie cried.

"Don't worry. I'm not saying goodbye just yet. Just give me some time." His voice came out in a wheeze as he struggled for a deep breath he couldn't get.

….

Beth, Maggie, and Heather had all walked outside the room to find Glenn and Daryl in the hallway. Neither of the men looked well and Beth noticed that Daryl was just as pale as Glenn.

"He wants to see you both." Beth whispered.

She grabbed Daryl's hand and his eyes met hers. His gaze burned into hers for a few minutes before he pulled her close. She breathed in his scent deeply and felt herself relax a little. He always had the ability to soothe her soul and she didn't even think he was aware he had that effect on her. Beth watched Glenn whisper softly to Maggie and kiss her gently. Then Glenn caught Daryl's gaze and they both entered the room. The sound of the door clicking shut reverberated throughout the hallway.

Heather put her arms around them and guided them towards the outside. "Come on. Let's get some fresh air. They'll probably be a while."

Outside, Beth noticed the whole group had gathered at the steps and they all turned as Maggie and Beth walked out. Everyone was present and that meant no one was on guard duty.

Beth looked at Rick. "Who is watching the gate?"

"It's secure for now. We reinforced it so that we could all be here to pay our respects." Rick said.

"How is he?" Carol asked.

Beth noticed that Maggie was just standing there and for a moment she wondered if her sister had gone into shock.

"He's….not well. He's saying his goodbyes." Maggie finally whispered.

Carol walked over to the girls and enveloped them in a hug. They felt the group move closer and everyone reached out a hand to pat or squeeze Maggie and Beth in sympathy.

"Would anyone mind if I said a prayer?" Tyreese asked.

Startled, the others looked around and they all realized that they had never had a prayer as a group before. A few of them looked a bit uncomfortable but out of respect to the group, they gathered close around the steps.

"_God of compassion and love,  
you have breathed into us the breath of life  
and have given us minds and bodies in which we live out  
our days on earth._

_For the gift of life, we are grateful._

_We humbly acknowledge that there is a time to live,_  
_and a time to die._

_We commit this life to you,_  
_trusting in your gracious promises and_  
_confident in the sure and certain hope of new_  
_life in the world to come._

_Into your hands we commit our beloved._  
_May your will be done!_

_In the good and gracious name of Christ,_  
_we pray._

_Amen."_

****Author's Note: :( This was a difficult chapter and first of all I want to say that although I talk about religion in here, I do not necessarily practice nor believe everything that I've written. It's always hard to write anything that involves religion especially in TWD but I hope you will keep an open mind about those I choose to have practice in the group. I do realize that not everyone is religious but I felt that since it was Hershel, and he is religious, that the group would overcome their feelings about it and come together out of respect for Hershel. This whol chapter came out of nowhere and I know it seems like I keep killing people off but I believe that when it's time, it's time. Besides, the world they live in holds no guarantees of a tomorrow for them. Just so there isn't any confusion, Hershel has not died in this chapter. I felt that it was a heavy enough chapter already and quite frankly my brain needs some time to adjust to the direction my thoughts have taken me (I told you it wasn't planned). I would love, as always, to hear everyone's thoughts on the chapter. Thanks **


	36. Chapter 36

****Author's Note: First of all I would like to say thank you to my reviewers who followed me over to see what I wrote about Merle/Beth's story. You rock! Thank you also to the ones who review the story here, I appreciate you taking the time to let me know your thoughts! This chapter is kind of a "Part 2" to the last chapter. I promise we'll get to some lighter chapters soon! Now back to the story! :)**

Daryl's chest hurt.

It had been hurting all day and he wasn't sure why. None of the group had really slept at all last night. Each of them had taken turns visiting with Hershel briefly and saying their goodbyes. It wasn't very often that the group was able to prepare for a death. Usually people were just taken from them by walkers.

Daryl had spent half the night in his room tossing and turning. When he realized he wouldn't be able to sleep, he took a lantern and went out into the storage shed to his space. He spent some time thinking and staring at his tools and then he began to carve.

...

Beth and Maggie spent the night with Hershel in his room. They nodded off and on, only waking up when Hershel came awake. Hershel had decided to try and hold out until the morning and he had made Maggie keep her gun on her even though she protested.

Now it was morning and Maggie and Beth were starting to panic again. Neither wanted the morning to come, they wanted to keep their Daddy around as long as possible.

"Girls." Hershel called from the bed. His voice was even hoarser this morning from trying to talk the night before and from the pneumonia.

Maggie and Beth went to his side and sat down on the bed. They grasped his hands again and held on as tight as they could.

"I'm not okay with this." Maggie said.

"Daddy, please." Beth whimpered.

"That's fine. You are entitled to be angry with me. I want you to know I am proud of both of you. I love you so much." Hershel whispered.

Maggie sniffed and got up quickly. "So this is it then?"

...

Daryl finished his carving as the sun came up and he left it on the counter and walked out of the building. He saw that most everyone in the group were gathered back by the steps. He knew it made a lot of people nervous for a lot of different reasons. For one, if Hershel had died throughout the night and no one figured it out, he could potentially turn Maggie and Beth into walkers. The thought made Daryl's blood run cold and he rubbed his chest again.

He walked over to Rick and Glenn. "Well?"

They looked at him. "No word yet. Hershel is supposed to send the girls out when it's time." Rick said.

"So what's the decision? I know I ain't gon' be able to pull that trigger." Daryl said. He was thinking back to his and Glenn's conversation with Hershel yesterday. Hershel said he didn't care who pulled the trigger but he wanted it done this morning so that everyone could start the healing process and get on with their lives, such as they were.

"I can't do it either guys. I couldn't do that to Maggie." Glenn whispered.

"I figured as much. You are both too far invested in this to be able to carry that burden. I suppose I can do it." Rick pinched the bridge of his nose as his head throbbed.

"I'll do it." Tyreese had been listening to the conversation.

They all turned to look at him. "Ya sure about that?" Daryl asked.

"I am. You all are closer to him that I have ever been and you shouldn't have to shoulder that kind of burden. I've put down people I loved before. It isn't easy and the last thing we need is either of you breaking down on us." Tyreese explained.

Rick expelled a breath. "As long as you're sure? I wasn't looking forward to having to do it."

"Just give me the word." Tyreese said.

...

Beth and Maggie took turns hugging their daddy over and over again. Whispering words of comfort, he held each of them and told them he loved them. He sent them out to get Rick and Rick stepped in one last time to talk to Hershel.

"I wish it didn't have to come down to this." Rick said.

"You and I both know that I won't last. We can't sit here waiting on me to die. I don't want to come back and hurt anyone. I can't let my girls see me like that." Hershel said.

"I get that. Well it's your call. Say the word."

Hershel took a deep breath. "I need some help to get out back. We can't do it in here and I'm too weak to walk. I hate feeling this helpless." He sucked in a breath.

Rick watched him try to gather himself together and he had to look away at the tears in his own eyes. The old man had become a type of father to him and he was going to be greatly missed.

"I'll go get some help. Be right back." Rick said softly and exited the room.

…..

Daryl finally saw Beth and Maggie leave the building. Pushing his way around the others he went to her and she looked at him blankly before seeming to register that he was there. She threw herself into his arms and buried her head as he felt wet tears soaking his shirt. It made him gasp for air to see her hurting so bad. He tried to rub her back soothingly.

This was a new experience for him. He had never lost anyone he cared much about except for Merle. And even then, Daryl hadn't quite known how to handle it. It had become the normal for the group to shoot people without giving it a second thought but Hershel was different. He hadn't actually died and they were going to shoot him. Damn but if it didn't give him chills.

Rick walked out of the building a few minutes later. He exchanged a look with Daryl, Tyreese, and Glenn. They knew what that look meant. It was time.

Daryl ran his hand over the back of Beth's head. She had quieted down some but she was now whimpering. He looked around and caught Carol's eye. She got the message and came over to grab Beth and then Maggie from Glenn's arms. They clung together and Heather helped Carol walk them away from the area.

The men followed Rick back inside and Glenn grabbed Hershel's blanket and bible.

"No. Leave it. For the girls." Hershel gasped.

Glenn swallowed the lump in his throat and put it back beside the bed. Tyreese and Rick each grabbed under Hershel's arms and lifted him to bear the weight on their shoulders. Hershel couldn't even support himself his limbs had become so weak from being bedridden. Daryl didn't want to think about what that did to a man's pride.

When they stepped out, they were surprised to see the rest of the group still standing there with the exception of the girls. They had formed a line down the steps and were smiling at Hershel through sad faces and red eyes. Hershel nodded at each of them in turn and they proceeded on. They carried him over to the shady elm where they had buried Sasha and Glenn laid out the blanket for Hershel to lay on.

Rick pulled his gun out of his back pocket. He turned it over and over in his hands before handing it to Tyreese. Their eyes met and Tyreese clasped Rick on the shoulder, squeezing gently.

Daryl looked down at Hershel one last time. What did you say to someone that was getting ready to die? He said the only thing he could think of.

"I'll take care of 'er. You have my word." He said.

Hershel focused his eyes on him. "Thank you."

Glenn stepped over. He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I don't know what to say. This is your last chance to change your mind. How do I console Maggie when I'm hurting too?" He asked.

"You hold her tight and don't let her go. Find comfort in each other and know that I'm in a better place. Don't let her push you away Glenn. She needs you more than she lets on. You're a good man and I'm proud to call you my son."

Glenn's eyes spilled over with tears and he turned to walk a few feet away. Daryl went to stand next to him.

"Rick, I know this is hard for you." Hershel said softly.

"I keep thinking about Lori."

"I know. I'm sorry to put you through this. I really believe this is the best way. You have got to stay strong for the group. Don't let this bring you down." Hershel rasped.

Rick grabbed his hand and squeezed. "You'll be missed greatly."

Hershel smiled slightly and squeezed his hand as best he could. Rick gave him a small smile and set off in the direction of the Daryl and Glenn.

Tyreese was left standing holding Rick's gun beneath the tree with a frail Hershel looking at him. He was starting to have second thoughts.

"It's alright. I won't hold it against you." Hershel tried to joke.

Tyreese smiled softly. "I volunteered because I thought I would try and take the burden off the others. Now, I'm wondering what I was thinking."

"You were just thinking about everyone else like you usually do. You're a good man and you would make a great leader. You have a level head and you are a man of God. Don't lose that faith. Now go on, let's not prolong this any longer. I'm ready to see my wife again." Hershel mumbled.

Tyreese kneeled next to Hershel's head. He gripped Hershel's hand in his and with his other hand he cocked the gun and placed it next to Hershel's head.

….

Rick, Daryl, and Glenn looked out towards the street. Rick was pacing, Daryl was chewing his thumb, and Glenn had his hands in his hair, gripping with all his might. No one said anything; they just waited.

Minutes later, they heard the gunshot.

….

Beth held onto Carol and Maggie with all her might. They had just heard the gunshot and both girls had jumped and Maggie started crying all over again. Carol was doing her best to soothe them but it wasn't working out too well.

They were sitting in the mess hall and Carl and Jacob were keeping Judith entertained. Beth finally got her bearings and sat up and rubbed her eyes. She knew she must look awful but she didn't care. Heather had left them briefly to get them something that was supposed to help calm them down and make them sleepy.

Time ticked by impossibly slow or maybe it wasn't, Beth lost track. She knew it was some time later before Daryl and the others walked into the mess hall. He looked at her and she could see the fatigue in his face. Her legs felt like jelly but she made her way over to him and he enclosed her in his arms.

"Walk with me to the room please? I need to lie down." She said.

Daryl nodded and grabbed her hand. She let him lead her to her room without really seeing anything. Her mind felt numb. She wasn't sure she could cry any more tears at the moment. Her head was hurting and all she wanted to do was sleep and forget the whole day.

….

Daryl picked her up when they entered her room. He set her on the edge of the bed and pulled off her shoes. She sat their staring blankly at the wall. He grabbed her hands and she focused back on him.

"What you need me ta do?" He asked.

She squeezed his hands. "Hold me while I sleep?"

Daryl nodded as he remembered Hershel's words about Beth needing him. "Alright."

She scooted back on the bed and laid her head on the pillow. He took off his shoes and jacket and placed them by the bed. He slipped in next to her and she immediately snuggled into his chest. He pulled the blanket over them to keep them warm.

For the first time all day he realized his chest had stopped hurting. He wondered about that. As Beth's breathing deepened into sleep he looked down at her. She was totally his now. He watched her mouth pucker out a little as she breathed out. He could see the exhaustion in her face and she suddenly looked so much younger than she was. He sighed and wondered what the hell he was going to do now.


	37. Chapter 37

****Author's Note: So I promised you all a light chapter and here it is! Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews about Hershel's death. I hated to let him go but I really am surprised he lasted this long. I hope you all like this chapter as the group gets back into a normal routine... Enjoy! **

Daryl swore and paced back and forth in frustration. It had been two weeks since Hershel had passed and Beth would barely let him touch her. He was at his wits end and he didn't know what to do. He chewed on his thumb distractedly as he paced.

"Beth?" Glenn guessed as he came up beside Daryl.

Daryl nodded. "Maggie too?"

"Yeah," Glenn sighed. "I don't know what to do. Maybe I'm pushing too hard. It _has _only been a couple of weeks."

Daryl snorted. "She'll barely kiss me! How do ya get past that?"

Glenn sat on the bench with a sigh. Daryl followed and the pair of them sat there and tried to figure out why the people they cared about most in the world suddenly pulled away from them.

The only good thing was that the winter was now pretty much over. The grass was slowly starting to get its deep green color back and you could go outside without freezing to death. The group was spending a lot of time outside now, just enjoying the weather. Today, especially was beautiful and everyone seemed to find something to do to occupy their time.

Rick and Will were supervising Jacob and Carl as they built a fort in one of the trees around the base. You could hear lots of shouts and laughter as the boys hammered the wood. Michonne and Gabby were out in the field by the fence practicing with each others weapons. They had taken up a lot of time together recently although no one knew whether or not their relationship had gotten to a romantic level. The mere fact that Michonne let Gabby hold her katana was amazing and the group figured that she was starting to have feelings for Gabby. Gabby had turned out to be quite persistent and a very valuable fighter to the group. It had been a unanimous decision to let her and Jacob stay on as long as they wanted.

Mike had volunteered guard duty today and Tyreese had walked with him to fix a possible breach in the gate. Heather and Carol had pulled Judith's play pen outside under a tree and Carol was busy showing Heather how to sew as Judith crawled happily around in the shade. She had taken to pulling up on things and the group was expecting her to take off walking at any time. All in all, it was a great day and the only two people missing from it were Beth and Maggie.

"Maggie snaps at me more these days. I don't know whether I should leave her alone or keep trying." Glenn mused.

Daryl thought about it a minute. "Hershel _did_ say that would pro'bly happen. He didn't see fit ta mention how long it would take though."

Glenn grunted and they continued to sit.

...

Beth and Maggie were holed up in Hershel's room. They snuck in there two or three times a day just to sit and be near the last place their daddy had been. The days blended together for them. On this particular day, they were sprawled out across his bed, reminiscing of days past when they heard a knock at the door.

Before either could get up to answer it, Carol opened the door and walked in. She took in the two of them. Their hair was a mess and they looked like they hadn't showered in quite some time.

Carol, for one, had had enough. She had given them a two week period to grieve and today marked the end of it. She was tired of seeing Daryl and Glenn sulk around. It was time for the girl's to carry on with their lives.

Maggie and Beth looked at Carol questioningly. Carol closed the door behind her and came over to the bed. She cleared her throat and looked at the both of them.

"Alright. That's enough. I know you miss him but you can't spend the rest of your lives in this room. It's been two weeks! There's a whole world out here and a group that misses you. Not to mention two very disgruntled gentlemen who are, right at this moment, looking as if they don't know right from left. Now what's it going to take? Am I going to have to get someone in here to haul the two of you out, or are you going to walk yourselves?" Carol asked.

Beth sat there in shock. _Was Carol really yelling at them?_ She looked at Maggie who looked just as surprised as she.

"I guess we have been quite the recluses." Maggie finally said.

"Do they really look lost?" Beth asked.

She hadn't meant to turn from Daryl. She couldn't actually pinpoint the moment it had happened but she must have turned from him at some point. The world had gone in slow motion so far and she had no idea they had been at this for two weeks. No one had said a thing. She started to think about Daryl sitting out there alone, not knowing what to do. She knew he would probably think she had abandoned him and she stood up.

"Carol's right Maggie. Look at us! We're sitting here crying but it's not going to bring him back." Beth said to her sister.

"Daddy did say that it was okay to miss him but not to let it rule our lives." Maggie mused.

"He was always so intuitive. I really miss-"

"Stop!" Carol yelled. They both jumped and looked at her again. "Let's go! Right now. Get outside and get some fresh air. Move!"

Beth exchanged a look with Maggie as Carol shooed them out of their daddy's room. _Since when had Carol become so bossy?_

...

Daryl was hacking at a dead tree stump when Beth found him later. He was swinging an axe with all his might. It felt good to take his frustrations out on the tree.

"Sum' bitch!" He cursed as he felt the splinter go into his hand.

"Hi." Beth spoke from behind him.

Daryl wiped the sweat from his brow with his arm and looked at her. She seemed to be okay but he wasn't sure. The last couple of times he had spoken to her, she had either not responded or had been short with him. He eyed her cautiously and waited.

"Okay, well, I understand you being hesitant to talk to me. I know I've been out of it the past couple of weeks. I'm sorry." She said softly.

Daryl didn't know how it worked in relationships when you had problems. _Was he supposed to apologize for somethin'?_

"I understood why you was sad. I mean it was yer pops. I ain't never had no real dad to speak of but if Hershel was my dad I suppose I would have felt the same." He said.

Beth smiled at him then and his world lifted at the sight. It had been so long since he had seen her smile and it baffled him at the extent to which he had missed it.

She walked over to him slowly and grabbed his hand. Lifting it to her face, she studied it. Reaching with her fingers, she plucked out the splinter and kissed his hand.

...

Beth walked out of the showers feeling much better than she had in previous weeks. It was amazing what a warm shower could do for your mood. She walked into her room and stopped as she saw that Daryl was in their bed. He had shucked out of his shirt and he was lying on top of the covers in only his pants. He was also asleep.

Smiling to herself, she quietly closed the door and walked to the bed to study him. He was breathing deeply and as she watched he stretched and proceeded to continue sleeping. He looked so peaceful there that she didn't want to wake him. She slipped out of her clothes and climbed in next to him, laying her head upon his chest.

He stiffened and she felt his eyes on her. "I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep." She whispered.

He cleared his throat. "I was waitin' on you. I was kinda hopin' we could spend some time together."

She smiled at his words. He was obviously eager to be with her physically and he was scared of her reaction. It pleased her that he had missed her so much. She had missed him as well.

"Oh really?" She mumbled and decided to tease him a bit. "I thought that we were spending time together."

He frowned and was quiet for a minute before responding. "Right."

She snuggled closer to him and when her breasts brushed his chest she heard his intake of breath.

"Jesus!" He muttered.

"What was that?" She leaned up to ask him and when she saw his face she laughed.

His eyes narrowed. "You was playin' with me?" He asked incredulously.

"Right." She repeated his word from earlier.

She saw the devilish twinkle come into his eye. "Daryl..." She said.

He grabbed her arms and held them high above her head with one hand and started tickling her. Squealing but thoroughly enjoying this side to him, she tried to get away. He held her more tightly.

"Daryl!" She cried through her laughter.

"Say you sorry." He growled playfully.

Tears were streaming down her face as she fought to stop her laughter. "I love you." She gasped instead.

He immediately let go and his eyes burned into hers intensely. She ran her hand down the side of his face and she saw him close his eyes and lean into her hand. She stroked her hand through his hair and he laid his head on her belly. Minutes passed before she heard his barely audible reply.

"I love you too."


	38. Chapter 38

****Author's Note: Okay guys, I know this is the shortest chapter I have written so far, but I didn't have a lot of time and I wanted to get something out for you all since you all keep me showered with reviews. I've got plans for the group in the works so just hang in there! An as always please review if you feel inclined! Thanks! :)**

Beth awoke the next morning feeling better than she had in a while. She was feeling pretty happy and the sun shining down on her was keeping her warm.

Even though winter was over, summer hadn't fully come upon them yet. The days were mild though, so she knew it was only a matter of time. Daryl had left her early this morning, brushing a kiss on her forehead before walking out. He didn't know she felt him when he did that and she smiled to herself at his sweetness.

She walked over to where Carol, Michonne, and Gabby were standing at a corner of the grounds. Carol was pointing at something but Beth couldn't see anything in the grass when she looked and her curiosity was piqued.

"Hey. What's going on?" She asked.

"I'm thinking about planting a garden for us over here in this corner. What do you think?" Carol asked Beth.

"That's a good idea! I can't believe we haven't thought of this before." Beth said.

"The prison was too big and there wasn't enough dirt that we could safely plant. This should work just fine though. I used to garden when Ed and I-, well before." Carol finished.

"Maybe we can go into town and hit the hardware store for gardening supplies. I remember Jacob and I passing one." Gabby said.

"That could work. Gabby and I could go and take Tyreese or somebody with us." Michonne suggested.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll ask Rick about it later." Carol said.

"So what's going on with you and Rick anyway?" Gabby asked.

Carol blushed. "We just enjoy each other's company. We've been talking a lot. About Judith of course."

"Of course!" Beth and Gabby said in unison and they all laughed.

...

Daryl felt pretty good today as he walked the fences inspecting for any weaknesses. The whole group seemed to be in much better spirits and they were all getting back to a normal routine. As he walked along he thought about Beth and how much she had come to mean to him. She was the only family he had now and he felt an insane urge to protect her.

He stopped walking as he noticed a walker hung up in the fence up ahead. The walker had obviously found a breach and decided to try to come through. Only it hadn't made it all the way. It was stuck in the fence up to its shoulders and it appeared to have gotten its clothing hung up on the wire. Daryl frowned as he surveyed the area. It was out of the way and off to the side where not many of them traveled but he knew they made regular checks of all the fences and this wasn't something that would have been easily overlooked.

The walker made a grab for him as he walked closer. It groaned and rasped as it tried to reach him. Daryl drew his bow and shot it in the head, instantly killing it. He inspected the ground and didn't see anything on the inside of the fence so he took the toe of his boot and pushed the walker back through the hole after grabbing his arrow back. He inspected the fence closely and saw that it appeared to have been cut neatly. Daryl cursed. Reaching into his pocket, he took out the clothesline wire he carried around when doing a fence check. That's when he noticed the prints on the other side of the fence. They were unmistakably human.

...

"What do you think it means?" Rick asked as he looked at the hole Daryl had fixed up.

"Dunno. But somebody was here." Daryl said.

"We don't know that whoever it was is trying to do us harm. Nor do we know if they are coming back." Tyreese added.

"But what stopped them from coming in in the first place?" Mike added.

They were all crowded around the hole, trying to make a guess as to what happened.

Rick turned to Daryl. "And you're sure those are human prints?"

"Yeah. See there, "He pointed. "See how they kinda straight? Walker prints are kinda staggered like over here." He pointed to a different set. "Besides who else woulda cut the fence like that?"

They all looked over at the prints and again at the fence carefully.

"We can't take the chance that whoever is out there is harmless. Or that they won't be back." Rick stated.

"We can have somebody out here at night. Two people and rotate shifts." Mike suggested.

"Set a trap is what I say." Daryl said.

"Why don't we do both? It's kind of hard to keep an eye on the whole fence at once. I mean if this guy or girl comes back, they're going to know they've been found. Chances are they'll try to find a different way in if they want it bad enough." Tyreese said.

Rick thought about it for a minute. "First things first, we've got to tell the others. We'll meet after dinner and come up with a game plan."

They all agreed and walked off back in the direction of the buildings.

...

Beth was headed to the showers when she saw Daryl and some of the guys approaching. She was curious as to why they had all been out towards the fence. She stopped outside of the building and waited. It didn't take Daryl long to spot her and after a few minutes, he walked over.

"What's going on?" She asked.

Daryl glanced around and then ushered her inside the building before speaking. Her heart beat faster at his need to be secretive.

"We got a breach." He said.

"What? Where? Are there walkers?" Beth began to panick.

Daryl tried to shush her. "Nah, no walkers. I mean, there was one stuck but the damn fence was cut. It was a human. No sign of em' now. They didn't make it in and I don't know that they'll be back neither."

Beth shivered. Ever since the Governor and John, no one had really anticipated running into anyone dangerous and now Beth was worried that they might have.

"What's the plan?" Beth asked.

Daryl sighed and chewed his thumb thoughtfully. "We gettin' everyone together after dinner. We'll decide then. No one else knows yet."

Beth felt warm inside that Daryl had chosen to share this information with her. He looked stressed and she wished she could comfort him but she wasn't sure what he needed at the moment. Sometimes Daryl accepted comfort and sometimes he liked to be alone with his thoughts.

Beth rubbed her head worriedly. "What are we going to do if its someone dangerous?" She whispered.

Daryl looked at her. "We'll figure somethin' out."


	39. Chapter 39

****AN: Sorry I didn't get a chapter out yesterday. For those of you following Merle's story, that was the only one I managed to get out. I was busier than expected and ran out of time. I debated on where I was going to take this chapter and I hope you'll like what I've come up with! As always, please review! I miss all my reviewers! Much love to you all! Thanks for reading, we're almost to Chapter 40! Wow! :)**

After dinner that evening, Rick called for everyone to stick around for a meeting. Tyreese and Mike went to see to guard duty since they had already been briefed and Rick was hesitant about leaving anything unguarded while they didn't know who was out there. Rumors were going through the group about why there were two on guard duty when they had previously only been using one. Everyone gathered together at the table and looked to Rick expectantly. Daryl also stood with Rick to jump in if needed.

"Alright guys. I know a lot of you are wondering what is going on. We don't usually have two on guard duty but there have been some recent developments. When Daryl was walking and checking fences this afternoon he noticed a breach in our fence. There was a walker stuck in the hole so he disposed of it and surveyed the area. When he went to patch the hole, he noticed it had been cut with wire cutters and there were footprints on the outside of the fence." There were immediate gasps and shocked expressions throughout the group. Rick calmed them down and continued. "The footprints didn't seem to be inside the fence so whoever it is never made it on the inside for whatever reason. Daryl only saw one set but that doesn't mean there is only one person. The fact of the matter is, we don't really know what we are dealing with. It could be a harmless person or it could be a scout for a group. They may or may not be back but if they do, we need to be ready. We'll give it a few days and see what turns up. If nothing happens, we may have Daryl and a group set out to track the prints to see if they are still in the area. In other words, there's no reason to panic just yet." Rick finished.

Beth wasn't as shocked as the others because she already knew it was coming. She _didn't _know that Daryl would be going out there if this person didn't show up though. She wasn't sure she was comfortable with that, even if he was more than capable.

"We can't stand to lose anyone else. We really need some good luck for a change!" Heather said.

"What if this person _is_ harmless?" Michonne asked.

"Then we'll talk to them. As always, we make a decision as a group. If we're not comfortable letting them stay, we ask them to leave. If they get hostile, we may have no choice but to put them down." Rick stated.

Beth shuddered. She never liked having to kill a regular person. She found it was much easier to kill them if they were walkers. Then she didn't feel so bad about it. She really hoped that the group wasn't in danger. Heather was right, they could use some luck for a change.

…

Daryl had patrol of the parking lot near the tanks where the breach had been found. He had already checked inside of the tanks just to be sure there was no one trying to hide out inside. He found himself being slightly paranoid that at any time they might get ambushed. He had refused to let Beth help patrol. She had protested until he had explained that he wasn't comfortable putting her in danger and he didn't think he could effectively patrol if he was constantly worried about her safety. She had finally broken down and conceded to stay close to the others who weren't patrolling in the courtyard.

Daryl sighed and wished that for once they could just have a normal day. He wondered briefly what his life would have been like if the walkers hadn't taken over. He probably wouldn't have met Beth and Merle might not have died. Daryl scoffed. He was lying to himself; Merle had been on a path to destruction with his drug habits. Most likely he would have died anyway, walkers or not. Daryl wasn't sure where he would be at. Maybe he would have been in jail or strolling the streets somewhere, always a loner. No, at least here he had purpose, and he felt useful for once in his life. It was sad that it took an apocalypse for his life to take on meaning.

He meandered over to the two graves for Hershel and for Sasha. He looked at the cross he had made for Sasha and the one he had made for Hershel. He had spent most of that night until the morning carving Beth and Maggie's names into that cross. Beth had cried when she had seen it. He wasn't sure why but he had just felt compelled to do it. It brought him a sense of peace to be in there in his own space and create something from pieces of wood.

He sighed and surveyed the fence again. There were a few walkers rambling around outside but none that paid him any attention yet. Normally, he would have shot at them, but he didn't feel like wasting an arrow. The wind was lightly blowing and the breeze felt good. The leaves from the trees overhead occasionally cast leaves down onto the ground and he found himself watching them as they floated.

His eyes narrowed as he saw Beth approach him from across the parking lot. _Apparently she didn't listen very well._

"What are ya doin'? I thought you was going to stay with the group?" Daryl asked.

"I'm just going to stay a minute. I brought you a water and a granola bar. Thought you might be hungry." She said as she passed them over.

Daryl's features softened slightly. He _was_ hungry. "Okay, but just for a minute. Don't want you wanderin' out too far." He grumbled as he bit into the bar.

Beth just smiled at him. She wasn't intimidated by grumpy Daryl. She knew he was just worried and sometimes that translated into him being grumpy and she was okay with that.

"What you smilin' at?" He asked.

She laughed. "You."

He smiled his half-smile as he finished the granola bar. He had eaten it in two bites. They all began to taste like cardboard after a while and he learned it was much easier to handle if you just ate it quickly and didn't dwell on the taste. Besides, it eased his hunger pangs and that was what mattered. Her eyes looked him over and Daryl raised a brow. He knew that look.

"Best be gettin' back with the others. Thanks for the food." He said.

She shook her head and walked closer to him. "Not without a proper thank you kiss." She teased.

Daryl grumbled but let her put her arms around him and kiss him. He was becoming such a softie where she was concerned and she knew it. Slipping the water bottle in his back pocket, he tightened his arms around her and lifted her a little to deepen the kiss. Her lips were so soft and sweet. She moaned as he deepened the kiss and pressed herself into him further.

Daryl heard the leaves rustle again and heard the thump as something hard hit the ground. Fast as lightening, he dropped Beth to her feet and whipped out his knife. They both stood there in shock at the sight before them. A girl, probably Carl's age, stood by the tree in a defensive stance.

She was carrying a bow.

…

Beth stood there in stunned silence with Daryl. The girl had appeared out of nowhere and Beth looked up into the tree. _She must have been up there the whole time._

The girl was eyeing them warily. She had her bow down but her fingers flexed around the arrow that was loaded and ready to fire at any time. It was Daryl who made the first move.

"Easy now. We ain't here to harm you." Daryl spoke quietly and he lowered his knife slightly.

The girl's eyes darted to him and then back to Beth just as quickly. She seemed to still be judging the situation at hand, although she had lowered her bow further and her hand had relaxed on the arrow.

"Are you the one who cut our fence?" Beth asked her.

The girl studied Beth now and Beth wondered what she was thinking. Beth did notice the girl never took her eye off of Daryl either.

"Yeah I cut it. Sorry bout' that. Damn crazies were after me. Didn't know no one was here." The girl drawled.

Beth was taken aback at her language for such a young girl. She didn't appear to have anything or anyone with her and Beth couldn't tell whether or not she was telling the truth about not knowing anyone was here. She sensed there was more to this girl than she let on.

….

Daryl was taken aback at the girl's mouth. She almost reminded him of his brother Merle and he felt himself start to smile.

"What's so damn funny? Ain't you ever seen a girl before?" The girl asked.

Daryl bristled. "Course I have. Just not one with a mouth as dirty as yers." The girl narrowed her eyes at him. "What's yer name?" Daryl asked.

"Nah, you first." She responded.

Beth exchanged a glance with Daryl. "I'm Beth and this is Daryl. We have a group here. Do you have anyone with you?" Beth asked her.

"Ain't nobody but me. Don't need nobody tellin' me what ta do. I come and go as I please." She boasted. "Y'all got food here?"

Daryl crossed his arms. "Still didn't catch a name."

She dropped her bow to one hand and put her other hand on her hip. "Gretta. Don't ask me for my full name. It's jus' Gretta."

"It's nice to meet you Gretta. You gave our group quite a scare. Would you like to come and meet everyone and get something to eat? I'm sure we can spare some food." Beth smiled at her.

"This Barbie yer wife?" Gretta smirked at Daryl.

Daryl was momentarily tongue-tied. He wasn't used to so many questions and he definitely wasn't used to having his private life questioned so bluntly.

"What's it to ya?" He threw back at her.

Gretta smiled a genuine smile then. Her face lost some of its hardness and she looked more like a carefree kid should look. "Saw you two swappin' spit and makin' moon eyes at each other. Figured you was newlyweds or somethin'."

"We're in a relationship. But we're not married." Beth said carefully. She wasn't sure if Daryl would know how to answer that question and even though she wanted more, she didn't want to put that kind of pressure on Daryl. "If you'll follow us, we'll introduce you to the others."

Gretta stood there until it was apparent to Daryl that she wasn't going to walk in front. She would follow in case she had to make a break for it. He was reminded of himself as a child and he wondered about this little girl and how she had come to survive this far in this world with no one. She seemed more mature for the kid he took her for, but she certainly seemed capable of taking care of herself.

Daryl and Beth walked back towards the main area while Gretta slowly trailed. He glanced back over his shoulder to see her peering around, trying to take it all in. _This should be real interestin',_ he thought.

…

Carl and Jacob were the first to approach them in the courtyard. They climbed out of there newly completed tree fort and stopped short at the sight of Gretta. Carl slowly walked over to where they were, Jacob trailing in his shadow. The two boys had become fast friends and where you saw one, the other was not far behind.

Carl glanced at Gretta then to Daryl and Beth in curiosity. "What's going on?"

Beth turned to Gretta. "Carl, Jacob, this is Gretta. She's the one that breached our fence. We're going to introduce her around and see about getting her some food." Beth said.

Carl looked at Gretta who was studying the two boys in return.

"Hey." Carl said. Jacob nodded his head at her.

"I ain't seen no other people my age 'round here. There more of ya, or are you two it?" Gretta asked.

"Just us. My sister Judith too, but she's just a baby." Carl said.

Gretta raised her eyebrows in shock. "A baby! Damn. Yer mama had a baby in the midst of all the crazies? She sure is brave."

Carl was a bit taken aback and he blushed slightly. "My mom died giving birth. She was eaten by a walker."

"Sorry ta hear that. What's a walker?" Gretta asked.

"I think that's our version of your crazies." Carl explained.

Daryl noticed some of the others in the group were approaching them now.

"Who's this?" Rick walked up to ask him.

"Apparently she is the one that cut our fence and she was hangin' out in a tree when I found 'er." Daryl commented.

"Ha! You didn't find me. You were too busy kissin' on Barbie here to notice anything." Gretta smiled.

"She's also got quite the mouth on 'er." Daryl added.

"What's going on?" Michonne asked as she, Gabby, and Heather walked up.

"What is this, the freakin' _Brady Bunch_? How many people y'all got here anyway?" Gretta demanded.

Daryl couldn't help himself and he had to grin a little.

_Kids sure got spunk, but I think deep down she's more scared than she lets on._


	40. Chapter 40

****Author's Note: WOOHOO! CHAPTER 40! LOL**

**Okay, so I admit. I had fun with this one. I'm enjoying the new character Gretta more than I originally thought! I especially LOVE all of the positive responses about her character! She's definitely a little "mini-Dixon". Hope you enjoy! Please review! :)**

Daryl thought it was funny to watch everyone's reaction to Gretta when they first met her. She had the appearance of a timid girl but as soon as she opened her mouth to utter a curse or some other blunt response, jaws would drop. She definitely took some getting used to.

It was decided that she could stay a few days as a trial; the same treatment that they gave to anyone else they happened upon. Daryl thought that the women were a little intimidated of her and the men found her hilarious. She seemed to be making her own little place in the group. She had spent her first night at the base last night.

This morning Daryl had gotten up intending to further reinforce that spot she had clipped in the fence to get in. He purposely got up earlier than everyone else, shirking the comfort of Beth's arms to have this time to himself. Daryl really enjoyed his quiet time.

He was placing more wire to wrap around the temporary patch when he was interrupted.

"Need some help?" Gretta chirped from behind him.

He cringed. _Okay so maybe he wasn't the only one who was an early riser._

"Nope." He answered shortly without turning around.

"Looks ta me like ya could use some help. Kinda sloppy if ya want my opinion."

Daryl finally turned to her. "Well I _don't_."

She crossed her arms. "Fine. Comes apart don't say I didn't warn ya."

"And what makes you an expert on fences?" He grumbled.

She walked over next to him. "I ain't got this far off my looks! Jus' cause I'm young don't mean I'm stupid." She retorted.

Daryl smirked. "Well noted. Fine lil' miss fix it, let's see ya do it better." He said and moved aside.

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Really?"

He gestured to the fence impatiently. Smiling, she got down on her knees and looked it over. Muttering to herself, she pulled his clothesline wire from the hole and took the section of fence he had tried to wrap over it.

Grabbing his wire cutters, she trimmed all the rough edges from around the hole. Then she placed the patch over the fence to measure and snapped a few pieces off of it with the cutters. Then she held it back up and took the pliers that were lying on the ground and bent the other edges to blend it in with the fence. Daryl stood off to the side, grudgingly watching.

After about ten minutes she stood up and surveyed her work. Seemingly satisfied, she turned to him.

"There ya go." She declared.

Daryl humphed. "Yeah but will it hold?"

He walked over to the fence and pushed against the patch with his boot. It held and he had to admit that you couldn't really tell it had been clipped. He had just been shown up by a _girl_.

"Satisfied?" She grinned.

"It'll do." He grumbled. "Give me back my tools. I got stuff ta do. No time for lil' girls." He grabbed his tools back from her and marched off.

…..

Beth was coming out of the kitchen with a bowl of powdered eggs and oatmeal when Daryl stomped in. He put his bow down forcefully upon the table and she raised an eyebrow at his attitude. He marched right past her and she went to sit down next to his bow.

Moments later he stomped back out and sat down roughly next to her. He silently began eating and she studied him, trying to gauge his sour mood.

"Anything you want to talk about?" She asked.

"No." Daryl said shortly.

The door opened and others started to file in along with Gretta, who was chatting away with Carl and Jacob. Beth watched as Daryl's eyes cut to Gretta and he frowned before turning back to his food.

Beth came to the conclusion that his sour mood must have something to do with Gretta. She couldn't imagine what could be wrong already; the day had just started. Obviously it was something though or Daryl wouldn't be so grumpy. He had been fine last night. _Really fine_, she thought with a grin.

She, herself, didn't have any problems with Gretta. Sure she seemed a little brash and her language was awful for a young girl but other than that, Beth didn't see her as a threat to the group. She was also a great storyteller as they had all learned last night. She liked to gesture and change her voice when telling a story to make you feel like you were a part of it.

She had told them the story of how it had been her, her brother and her dad when this whole thing started. Her brother and dad had always been great hunters and they had spent most of their life as a family outside in the wilderness. She had learned a lot from them, she had said, and then they had been taken from her by walkers.

They had made camp out in the woods as usual. Gretta had decided to sleep in the tree above them, preferring it to the cold hard ground. Sometime through the night, a herd had passed through and taken them off guard. Her dad and brother had fought them off as best as they could and they had yelled at her to stay in the tree. Stuck, she had watched them being ripped apart, piece by piece. She had slipped away, going from branch to branch in the trees and had been on her own ever since. She had come upon other groups before but they had always been really small or the people had seemed threatening to her. She had staked their group out for a week before finally deciding to approach them.

Beth had been shocked that she had been watching them all go about their daily routine and no one had noticed anything. She had become instantly liked by the group then.

Except for Daryl.

Beth couldn't figure out what had him so disgruntled this morning. "Alright. What's going on?" She demanded.

Daryl glanced at her and muttered to himself. "Showed up by a damn lil' girl."

"What?"

"She showed me up out there! She fixed tha fence. Did it better than me." He grudgingly replied.

Beth covered her mouth with her hand to smother her laugh. Daryl shot her a look.

"It's not funny!" He yelled. He got up and went to put his empty dish in the kitchen. He walked straight past her as he left the kitchen without saying a word.

Beth finally understood. Daryl's pride had been hurt. He wasn't used to people knowing more than he about things like that. Most of the group here trusted him to get those things done just like they trusted Michonne to kill any walker put in front of her. Now there was a little slip of a girl coming in and doing Daryl better than himself.

She snickered and said a prayer for anyone who dared cross his path today.

…

Daryl was in a mood. It didn't take long for that information to spread amongst the group. He also came to the conclusion that everyone seemed to know what had happened to make him that way. He didn't like that. It only served to further sour his mood. _Let them talk. I don't care._

He sat down under a tree and started cleaning his bow, grateful for the silence.

"So what's eating you?" Michonne asked.

"Damn woman! You're like a damn cat sneakin' up on people. Ain't you scared of bein' shot?" Daryl said.

Michonne smirked. "Please. I could have killed you before you even thought of drawing your bow."

"Maybe ya should."

Michonne raised a brow and sat down next to him. She placed her katana onto the ground but still kept it within arm's reach. She waited. She had taken a lot of time to study everyone in the group and she thought she could gauge their personalities pretty well. With Daryl, she knew that he couldn't be pressured to talk; you had to wait him out. So she waited.

Daryl sighed as he wiped at the bow some more. It was so clean you could eat with it but he continued cleaning it for the distraction it provided. He was acutely aware of Michonne still sitting silently beside him. He knew she would wait him out.

He threw his rag down. "I think I'm gettin' soft." He muttered.

That was certainly the last thing Michonne expected to hear come from the mouth of a Dixon. She thought about her next words carefully so as not to insult him.

"What makes you say that?" She asked. She grabbed his dropped rag and began polishing her katana with it.

"Everything. We ain't got as many walkers here as at the prison it seems. Gettin' rusty. Damn kids showin' me up. A _girl_ on top of that." He said.

"I see." Michonne said. She continued polishing, waiting to see if he had more to add. That appeared to be all he was sharing today so she paused to think of a response.

"For starters, there are still just as many walkers here as there were at the prison. It's just that here we have a smaller space so we can spot a problem and technically eliminate it before it grows into something more. At the prison, we had too much room for a group our size. It was a liability and a comfort at the same time. As for your skills, why don't you go on the run with Gabby and I for some practice?" She asked.

Daryl stared out into the open as he thought about it. Maybe he _did_ need to get out and clear his head. It had been a while since he and Carl had went on their hunting trip and it had ended sooner than expected because of Gabby and Jacob.

"Maybe I will." He murmured.

Michonne smiled. "Good. Now what's this about kids showing you up?" She had a good idea that this might be in reference to the newest addition to the group but she wanted to be sure.

"New kid. Doin' my job better 'an me." Daryl replied.

"Ah. So she does something better than you once and suddenly you're useless to everyone I take it?"

"Hell no! I ain't useless! She jus' caught me off guard!"

Michonne's smile widened now. She was playing a mind game with Daryl; trying to get him to admit that he wasn't useless by telling him he was. She had him figured out pretty well. He didn't respond to people pitying him or sympathizing with him. He was still a Dixon, although softer, and he responded better when he was fired up. He just hadn't had a lot of time to use that fire lately. It was still there though, and Michonne knew she would be having a talk with Beth later about "helping" Daryl fan his flames.

"Sounds to me like you don't have an issue then. We're set for the run in two days. Carol wants to start planting a garden. We could use your help with that crossbow." She added.

Daryl looked up at her. He didn't think she was shitting him but Michonne was hard to read when she wanted to be.

"Yeah. Two days. Got it." He said.

Michonne nodded and stood. She handed him back his rag and placed her katana back into position on her back. She didn't say anything else; she just left him sitting there.

She did smile as she walked away in search of Beth.


	41. Chapter 41

****Author's Note: I know you all thought I abandoned this story but I didn't. I just needed a break from it. I'm going to try to get into a regular update again for this one but I don't know if it will be everyday like my other story. I switched into Carol's point of view at the end and touched on her growing relationship with Rick. Some of you had mentioned you would like to see other relationships develop some so I thought I would give it a try. Bear with me as it's been a while since I've written here but I was spurred on by recent reviews! Thank you all so much and as always- If you like it, review it! Much love! :)**

Beth was helping Carol and Heather clear off a section of grass to prepare for the garden they were going to have. She hadn't seen much of Daryl all day and she felt bad about laughing at him earlier when he was in such a grumpy mood. Sometimes she forgot that under his tough exterior he could be really sensitive about some things.

Michonne and Gabby walked over to them to see how progress was coming along. Neither one of the ladies were gardeners of any sort, so they had contributed by offering to go on the run for the supplies instead.

"When is the run?" Carol asked.

"Two days." Gabby replied.

"Who's all going?" Beth asked them. She grabbed the rake from Carol to rake up some pinestraw off of the ground.

"Me, Michonne, and Daryl." Gabby replied.

Beth perked up at this recent development. She didn't know that Daryl was going. She kept raking as she thought about that. She had been with him most of every day for a while so it was going to be hard to have him gone. She never quite knew what to do with herself when some of the group went on a run. She didn't think any of them rested well until everyone was returned safe and sound.

"Can I speak to you for a minute?" Michonne walked up to her quietly to ask.

Beth looked at her awkwardly. Michonne never asked to speak with her, much less alone. She nodded and wiped her hands onto her shorts as she handed off the rake to Heather. Michonne nodded in the direction of the buildings where no one was around. They walked off slowly in that direction.

"I had an interesting talk with Daryl today." Michonne stated.

"Okay." Beth was unsure where this conversation was headed.

"He mentioned that he thought he might be losing his edge."

Beth stopped. "What? That's ridiculous!" She cried.

Michonne smiled. "I know. But he doesn't think so. I offered for him to go on the run with Gabby and I. I think it will give him time to clear his head."

"What about his edge? How do we convince him he's still needed?" Beth asked.

"That's where you come in. You need to work your magic in the bedroom." Michonne said.

Beth flushed. "What magic?" She whispered.

Michonne laughed. "I'm not discussing what you and Daryl do in private. You need to make him feel needed. Play the innocent female."

Beth thought about this for a few minutes as Michonne walked away. How was she going to make Daryl feel needed again? She bit her lip as she stood lost in thought.

...

Later that evening, as Daryl walked toward the kitchen for dinner he ran into Gretta. She was fussing with her bow and he could clearly see she was distressed. He stopped a few feet away where she couldn't see him and watched her with an amused expression.

"Shit!" Gretta cursed and flung her bow to the ground. She crossed her arms and stood there fuming.

"Ya got quite a mouth on ya for such a lil' girl." Daryl commented as he stepped into her sight. She jumped a little and he would have missed it if he wasn't fully focused on her. He smiled to himself. _So, she ain't as together as she pretends ta be?_

"Screw you. I don't need no lessons on what I can and can't say!" Gretta grumbled.

"Fine. If that's how ya wanna play it. Thought ya might could use some help with ya bow but apparently ya got it under control." Daryl turned to stride away.

Gretta stood there for a minute then groaned. "Wait!"

Daryl stopped but didn't turn around. "Yeah?"

Gretta scowled and sighed. "I could use some help."

Daryl still didn't turn but he smiled. "I'm sorry, I'm hard o' hearing. Was that an apology?"

"Yes! Yes, okay? I'm sorry." She muttered.

Daryl wiped his face free of his smile and turned back to her. He walked over and picked up her bow. He had to admit, for a homemade bow made by a girl her age, it was very impressive. He turned it over in his hands and studied it.

"The line's too tight for one. This here," He pointed, "could use some adjustin' too."

Gretta watched him carefully. She tried to pretend like it didn't matter to her but Daryl could tell that it did. He showed her how to make the adjustments and then he watched her do it to make sure she had understood. She did it exactly like he showed her and he thought she caught on quickly. For a few moments he could see the little girl she should have been, instead of the much harder girl she was now.

"That's good kid. Ya catch on real quick." He ruffled her hair affectionately.

She smiled up at him and he felt himself bond with her a little. She seemed to be a lot like him in more ways than he thought and it tugged at him deep inside a little.

"Thanks. You a real good teacher. Ya goin' ta eat?" She asked.

"Yeah. Wanna walk with me?"

She shrugged and fell into step beside of him. He noticed she kept fiddling with her bow, her brow wrinkled in concentration and he smiled to himself as they continued walking.

...

Beth had watched Daryl and Gretta over dinner with amazement. She didn't know what had happened but she sensed a change between them. Gretta sat at their table instead of over by Carl and Jacob. She noticed that Daryl would look at her affectionately from time to time when he thought no one was looking. She thought it was so cute.

After dinner she grabbed Daryl's hand and tugged him back to her room. Stepping into the room with him she leaned up and kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and returned the kiss before pulling away.

"What was that for?" He asked.

"I'm sorry about this morning. I shouldn't have laughed at you. You were mad and I was wrong to do that."

Daryl cocked a brow at her. "Ain't no big deal. It's jus' been a hell of a day."

"Well maybe I can help you with that." Beth said shyly.

"Think so?" Daryl questioned.

She nodded and turned to shut the door. She came over to him and kneeled in front of him. He watched her through half-closed eyes that were dark with lust. She took a deep breath and prayed she could pull this off the way she wanted. She unzipped his pants and pulled him out. He sprung out in her hands, hard and slightly wet. Daryl groaned as she wrapped her hand around him and he grabbed the wall for support.

"Beth." Daryl muttered.

She glanced up at him as she slid him into her mouth. His hands clenched into fists and he sucked in a breath. She pulled back slowly.

"Should I stop?" She whispered. _Maybe he doesn't like it?_

Daryl closed his eyes and slowly shook his head no. She let out a breath and continued. She wasn't really sure what to do but she tried to remember all the things she had heard and what she read in romance novels. She licked the tip and slid her lips up and down the length of him. He grabbed her hand and wrapped it around the base and guided it up and down to show her what he liked. She went back to work and it wasn't long before he was pulling her away.

"Jesus Angel," He panted, "Ya tryin' to kill me?"

He led her over to the bed and began taking off his clothes, his eyes intent on her. She shed herself of her clothes and soon they were both naked on the bed together. He began a fast and hard rhythm and she knew he needed this release; he needed it to be fast and hard.

When they finished, he collapsed beside her and drew her up to him. He kissed her hair and soon she could hear him snoring softly. She tilted her head up and kissed his cheek softly before pulling the blankets over them and drifting off to sleep herself.

...

Carol had just laid down when Judith started to cry for her. She wasn't sure what was wrong. Usually, she slept through the night with no problems. She had rocked her to sleep tonight though, because Rick hadn't come by like usual. She picked her up quickly before she could wake Carl and laid her hand on her forehead. She wasn't warm and she didn't appear sick.

Judith stared back at her with her big beautiful eyes that were laced with tears and Carol melted. Judith began to fuss again so Carol walked up the steps into the living area above. She walked Judith around the room, trying to coax her into sleep. She was so busy with that that she didn't see Rick appear in the doorway.

"Is she okay?" He asked.

Carol jumped and then when she saw Rick, she smiled. "She's just being fussy. I'm not sure what the problem is."

Rick walked over to her and held out his arms. Carol handed Judith over to him and Judith immediately went quiet. Her chubby arms reached out for her daddy and she giggled as she played with his beard. Rick smiled down at her and Carol's heart melted at the two of them.

"I guess she just wanted her daddy. She's gotten used to seeing you every night." Carol said.

She leaned over his arms to look down at Judith's face. Judith looked back and forth between them. "Momma!" She pointed at Carol.

Carol blushed. "I'm sorry." She told Rick.

Rick gave her a small smile. "It's okay. You do so much for her, it's only natural that she think of you that way. You're the closest thing she has to a mother now."

"I certainly love her very much." Carol commented.

Rick rocked Judith back and forth slowly. "So do I. You know, it gets easier to deal with Lori being gone over time, but the loneliness gets to me." Rick blushed at the personal turn the conversation had taken.

Carol touched his arm. "I know that feeling all too well." She said softly.

Rick stared at her for a few long minutes and when he looked down at Judith, he saw that she was fast asleep. "I'm going to lay her down." He said softly.

Carol nodded. She stayed where she was and waited until he came back up. She wasn't sure what she expected but she felt something for Rick. It was something she hadn't planned on feeling for sure, and she wondered if he felt the same. He came into the room and walked over to her slowly.

"I ... I guess I should be getting to bed." Carol stammered.

Rick tipped her chin up softly. "Goodnight." He murmured as his lips closed down upon hers. It was a brief kiss but she felt it all the way to her toes.

When he pulled away, she hurried past him and went through the door to the room down below. Shutting the door behind her, she leaned against it for a few moments, tryin to calm her beating heart.


	42. Chapter 42

Beth woke up on the morning of the run with Daryl wrapped around her. She was warm and cozy and she really just wanted to stay this way forever. She loved waking up before him because then she could stare at him as much as she wanted without him knowing it. In his sleep, he looked so relaxed and vulnerable that it was hard to believe he was the same man who killed walkers with arrows during the day. Their life now afforded them very little moments of pleasure so this was special to her.

Daryl stirred from around her and stretched. She watched his muscles bunch and shift as he stretched them out with a yawn. He turned sleepy eyes to her. The light was just beginning to come through the window so he still had a little time before he had to go on the run.

"Good morning." She said.

"Mornin'." He replied. His hand trailed up and down her back and drifted over her hips, giving her goosebumps.

They had both fallen asleep nude after making love, both of them too tired to worry about clothes. He grazed his hand between her legs and she opened them slightly. Taking this as an invitation, he leaned over and kissed her.

"Daryl," Michonne knocked on the door, "We've got to leave soon. Are you awake?"

Daryl groaned and fell back on the bed. _So much for that._ Beth snickered and he gave her a look but he smiled softly. They were forever being interrupted.

"I'm still sleep." Daryl responded.

Michonne paused on the other side of the door. "Funny. We need to get an early start. You and Beth can play later. Get dressed." She commanded.

He didn't hear her walk away but he was sure she wasn't there anymore. "Damn woman's got ears like a cat. Feet too." He grumbled.

Beth laughed and kissed his cheek. "I'll be waiting when you come back." She said.

Daryl growled and pulled the blanket over their heads. "We got ten minutes before tha warden comes back. Let's make tha most of it."

Beth laughed.

...

Daryl positioned the truck at the gate after making sure it had sufficient gas. There was a drum on the premises near the tanks where they could store extra and it came in very handy. He added a few more gas cans to bring back extra onto the bed of the truck. Gabby checked their ammo and put a bag of food into the seat for later. Daryl gave Beth a wink and she smiled back at him. They all climbed in and Daryl got behind the wheel.

Rick walked over to him. "Should be an easy run. Take your time and keep your guard up."

Daryl nodded. "It shouldn't take too long. We should be back by early afternoon."

Rick gave them a nod and Tyreese and Mike opened up the gate to take care of the walkers. Daryl drove through and made a left turn. They knew they were going to have to go further out this time. Things nearby were pretty picked over.

They drove for a bit in silence, none of the them having much to say to pass the time. The roads were littered with abandoned vehicles and it took some time to navigate their way through them with the truck. They had traveled for an hour when they ran into a blockage. A car turned sideways was blocking their path and Daryl slowed to a stop. Michonne and Gabby jumped out and took out three walkers and Daryl left the engine running when he hopped out to help.

Opening the door of the car, he surveyed the blood splattered inside and shook his head in disgust. He reached over and found that the keys were in the ignition. It wouldn't crank when he tried it but it did turn enough so that he could put the car in neutral.

"I got it in neutral. I'll steer from here and y'all push from there." He indicated the bumper.

Michonne and Gabby each took opposite sides and Daryl gave the initial push while making a grab for the steering wheel. It took them some manuevering but they finally managed to get the car out of the way enough so that the truck could pass through.

"That was easy enough." Gabby commented.

"Almost too easy." Michonne replied as she looked around.

"Let's get outta here. This place gives me tha creeps." Daryl called from the truck.

They climbed inside and he started back down the road. The further out from town they got, the less crowded the roads were. Finally, they rolled into the next big town and Michonne spotted a sign for a Home Depot. Daryl turned the truck off the road and drove across a small ditch into a parking lot and came to a stop beside the door.

"Ladies." He made a sweeping motion with his hand.

Gabby snorted. "Thanks G.I. Joe. We'll take it from here." She patted his shoulder.

Michonne smiled at her softly. Daryl made a face at the two of them. "Let's get this over with." He muttered.

They climbed out and grabbed their weapons. There were walkers straggling around the lot but none of them were close enough to pose a threat and they left them alone so as not to draw any unwanted attention.

"Stay together or split up?" Michonne whispered.

Daryl looked around. "Stay together. We each grab a cart. Load it up. Don't know how many of these bastards were tryin' to decorate when tha world went ta shit."

They entered the store slowly with their weapons drawn. Gabby and Daryl took out three walkers by the doors as Michonne grabbed their carts. Armed with carts and weapons, they proceeded down the left side of the store and began to make their way around. Daryl made his way around with his cart, picking up stuff Gabby and Michonne pointed out that was on the list. He had no idea what was needed, he just grabbed what they told him. He shot two walkers down on two different aisles. He had expected a lot more than they had encountered so far. Given that they weren't trying to be quiet, he figured more would have been crawling out by now. He went around the corner to the next aisle a few feet ahead of the women and stopped in front of a display.

"Hey!" He called.

Gabby and Michonne walked quickly over to the next aisle and stopped beside him. Gabby gave Michonne a look and Michonne shrugged.

"Think we can use 'em?" Daryl asked.

"I don't see why not. Between all of us, we could work something out." Michonne said.

"Imagine what we could do with those if we could get them working to our advantage." Gabby commented.

Daryl nodded and together they began stacking the solar panels into the cart. They grabbed everything they could that went with them and Daryl felt pretty good about it. They had smart people in their group, surely someone would figure out how to make them work. They finally made their way over to the lawn and garden section. It was separated from the rest of the store by a set of doors that led outside to a fenced in area. As Daryl rounded the corner, he came to a halt and held up a hand for them to stop. They ducked down behind the carts and looked through the holes to see dozens of walkers shuffling around inside the area.

"Most everything we need is in there." Gabby whispered.

"No shit Sherlock." Daryl muttered.

"Hey. We can do this. We just need a plan." Michonne said. She looked around and her eyes narrowed as she focused on something. "I've got an idea."

...

It took them a bit to set it up but once it was ready, Daryl had to admit it wasn't a bad plan. If they could make it work, it would certainly make things easier for them to get what they needed and get out.

Daryl tied the rope around the steering wheel of the lawnmower and connected it to the seat. Gabby grabbed up a bag of concrete mix and placed it in the seat. Most lawnmowers were equipped with an auto shut-off feature that would engage if there wasn't someone in the seat. Daryl nudged it into the highest speed position and nodded his head at Michonne. They waited on the edges of the doors and Daryl quickly turned the key to crank it. As soon as it fired, he released the brake and the women yanked the doors open as Daryl ran out of the way.

Walkers flooded through the doorway at the sound of the mower. The mower traveled down the aisle at a decent pace and the walkers were gaining on it but still hadn't caught up to it yet. They crouched down to the side unnoticed until the last of them trickled through and then they pushed their carts through the doors and Daryl and Michonne pulled them back closed behind them.

"Let's make this quick." Daryl said.

They speeded through the sections and grabbed any and everything they could get a hand on. Gabby knifed down two walkers and Daryl had to shoot one through the eye that hadn't made it through with the herd. After they had everything loaded, they went to the door to the outside and found it chained.

"Damn it!" Daryl cursed.

"Wait! We can get out of this." Gabby said.

"How? Nothing we have in here will break through that chain." Michonne said.

Gabby ran around the counter and came back with screwdrivers. "We can get the hinges off of this door. They aren't very sturdy." She passed out the screwdrivers and they all went to work on the hinges.

It took them some valuable time but finally they were rewarded for their efforts as the door fell to the side, hanging only by the chain.

"Let's toss this! It's gettin' late!" Daryl yelled.

They began throwing things into the back of the truck and they each took turns taking down a stray walker. With everything loaded, Daryl jumped back into the driver's seat and took off down the parking lot. Remembering the gas at the last minute, he swerved next to a car and jumped out. Keeping their eyes peeled, Michonne and Gabby kept an eye out while Daryl siphoned the gas from the vehicle. Done with that one, he motioned to the one next to it and siphoned from that one too. Satisfied, he put the gas cans on the back of the truck and they took off back towards the base.

"That was pretty intense!" Gabby said from the back.

"That ain't nothin'. The prison was much worse than that." Daryl said.

"I'm glad you didn't have to go throuh that initial clean up." Gabby squeezed Michonne's shoulder.

"I've been through my share." Michonne said quietly. She touched Gabby's hand.

"Well, I'm glad I'm with you now." Gabby commented. They stared at one another in silence and Daryl grew uncomfortable.

He snorted. "You two lovebirds done? Let's see what kind of music they got in here."

They both raised an eyebrow at him and he ignored them to push play on the CD player. Seconds later, rock music filled the truck and Daryl smiled as he finally relaxed. It was a great day. They had gotten lots of supplies and he had gotten to stretch his legs a bit. He could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his system as he settled back into the seat for the drive.

****AN: It's not much, I know. But it's all I'm able to get out for now. Tomorrow I will update both(hopefully). Thanks for showing me the love! Be sure to leave some more ;) ! Thanks!**


	43. Chapter 43

****AN: _Very_ short chapter. Sorry! The muse just wasn't in me tonight and we had a strong storm pass through so my writing was postponed until later. I had hoped to get out something longer but I thought you all might like something better than nothing! LOL! As always, please review, it makes me squeal like a little girl meeting Norman Reedus for the first time! ;)**

Beth was excited to hear about the solar panels. With the possibility of more power and fresh fruits and vegetables, she felt like she could finally stop and take a deep breath. She played with her food as she thought about it over dinner that evening. She wasn't really hungry; she was too busy paying attention to everyone else. She watched Daryl as he told his version of how he, Gabby, and Michonne had gotten out of the Home Depot.

She noticed that Gretta watched him adoringly the whole time but only when she thought no one was watching. Beth had found out the girl put on a gruff exterior but she really was still such a kid at heart. Daryl caught her eye and he smiled slightly. She felt her insides warm and she returned his smile.

Gretta rolled her eyes. "Get a room." She muttered.

"Ya know, I think she's got a point." Daryl raised his eyebrows suggestively and Beth laughed as Gretta groaned.

She loved when he was in a playful mood. It was happening more frequently now than it used to and she thought that was due in part that most of the threats were gone. Sure, the walkers were still there, but they were behind a fence. That made a lot of difference.

Daryl looked across the room and she followed his eye to where Rick and a few of the men were sitting. "I'll be right back. Hold that thought." He said to her.

"You bet." She replied.

...

"Hey, any of you know anythin' 'bout solar panels?" He asked the guys.

"That's what we're just discussing. I figure between Mike's electrical knowledge and my construction knowledge we can figure something out." Tyreese said.

"My electrical knowledge is very limited." Mike laughed. "I was basically a helper."

"I've seen someone do it once but I didn't pay much attention at the time. I do remember they used a battery though." Tyreese spoke up.

"What kinda battery?" Daryl asked. He had never heard about anyone using a battery with a solar panel but then again, he had never _used_ a solar panel himself.

"I think it was a car battery? Like I said, it's been so long. I can't quite remember." Tyreese replied.

"We'll get started on it tomorrow while the women work on the garden." Rick said.

They all nodded.

...

The others began trickling out one by one to go their separate ways until only Beth and Gretta remained at the table. Gretta kept casting glances over at Daryl, who was still talking to the guys about something.

"So how are you liking it here? Do you think you will stay on with us?" Beth asked her.

Gretta glanced at her. "I dunno. Maybe. I like it here alright. The people are nice."

"You and Daryl seem to be getting along better." Beth remarked as she watched Gretta's gaze flick that way again.

She looked over at Beth. "Ya think so? I really like him." She groaned after the last part. "I didn't mean it like that." She blushed.

Beth thought it was cute that Gretta was blushing over Daryl. She could tell the girl was developing a crush of sorts on him. She could see the appeal. He was strong, handsome, and charming when he wanted to be. She found herself gazing at him as well until Daryl finally looked their way. They both looked down at their empty plates quickly.

"Yer so lucky." Gretta said wistfully.

"What do you mean?"

"Ya got a great guy. He would do anything for ya. I can tell. That's how my Gramps used ta be with my Grams." Gretta said softly as she picked at her nails.

Beth looked at her with interest. Gretta never said much about her life before this. She was like Daryl in that way. Beth wondered how hard it had been for her growing up.

"He is great. He's come a long way. Your grandparents must have been really nice people." Beth commented.

"They was. 'Bout the only people in my family that stayed together." Gretta sighed.

"Are you from around here?"

Gretta frowned at her. "What is this? Twenty questions?"

Beth was hurt by her tone. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry-"

"Yes you did," Gretta accused. "Everybody always got to be so nosey! This is why I preferred ta be on my own." She swiped up her empty plate and stalked off.

Beth watched her go. It appeared that Gretta's issues may run as deep as Daryl's.

...

The men finally finished their discussion on technique and placement of the solar panels about fifteen minutes later. Daryl figured this was one of those times where the internet would have been useful. There was nothing you couldn't find on the internet.

He walked outside to where Beth was sitting and waiting on him. He sat down beside her.

"You still holdin'?" He asked suddenly.

Beth looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"That thought. Ya still holdin' it?" Daryl asked.

Beth smiled slowly. "I might be." She teased.

Daryl crossed his arms. "What I gotta do to turn that might inta a yes?"

Beth thought about that for a few minutes. Daryl's good mood was infectious and she wanted to play with him some more while it lasted.

"Let's see. I'll make a bet with you. If I put an arrow into that tree the boys' treehouse is in, I get to do whatever I want to you." Beth stated.

"And if ya don't?" Daryl smirked.

"Then you can do whatever you want to me." She promised.

Daryl thought about that a few minutes. She didn't have a chance in Hell at winning, but he'd play along. She would never make the shot, especially in the dark.

"Deal." Daryl said firmly. He took off his bow and handed it to her. He made sure she had it situated and showed her the trigger. Then he stepped back just in case her aim went wild. She didn't shoot the bow though. She grabbed one of the arrows and as he watched, she walked over to the tree and stuck it in with her hand. Despite himself, he began to chuckle. She smiled sweetly and skipped back to him.

"Smartass! That's cheating." He said.

"No it's not. I said I would put an arrow into the tree. I never said _how_." She laughed.

His eyes darkened. "So what are ya gonna do ta me?"

She fluttered her lashes at him. "I guess you'll just have to follow me and find out."


	44. Chapter 44

****AN: Hope everyone is enjoying their Father's Day with their families. Here's a little light chapter for you all to enjoy! Review if you will, thanks so much! ;)**

Daryl heaved the last solar panel over his shoulder and turned to briefly glance in the direction of the women. They were finished plowing their small garden and now they were getting ready to put the seeds in the ground. Except they were too busy at the moment talking and laughing to finish.

His eyes zeroed in on Beth who was wearing a tank top and _very_ short shorts. He stood there with sweat dripping down his face and watched as she bent over to tie her shoe. He wasn't sure how long he had stood there. She must have sensed his eyes on her because she turned and let her eyes roam over him as well. She winked and as he kept watching, she bent over again and treated him to another view. He smirked. _Little tease._ _Two can play at that game._

He positioned the solar panel on his shoulder so that he could hold it up with one hand. When she turned back to him, he casually lifted up his shirt and wiped at his face so that she was treated to a view of his abs underneath. She was so caught up in the sight of him that Carol walked over to see what was going on. Daryl quickly lowered his shirt and went back to his activity. He crossed around back of the buildings where the men and kids were attempting to make the solar panels work to their advantage.

Tyreese and Mike had been working on different methods all morning and now they thought they were getting close. They had set up one panel and let it charge for a while. When they had done a test on it, it had briefly brought power to the small lamp they had been using as a tester. Rick was mostly keeping tabs on where the kids were while Daryl, Will, and Glenn had been the ones to bring the tools and supplies back and forth as needed.

Daryl was ready to call it a day. He didn't know much about how solar panels worked and he was just ready to get them going so that he could go persue this playful mood that Beth was in.

...

Beth smiled to herself as Daryl hurried away when Carol approached. She had tried to walk away too but Carol had quickly determined what had been going on and she laughed. Not much could be kept from Carol anymore.

"You know. As long as I've known Daryl now, I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen a glimpse of his chest. How do you refrain from jumping his bones?" Carol asked Beth as they walked back over to the group.

Beth felt herself grow slightly red and the ladies all laughed at Carol's direct question.

"What? You can't tell me none of you have ever thought about it! The man is gorgeous, and sweet to boot! You all know that deep down we are jealous of the fact that Beth gets him to herself!" Carol teased.

"Not me. I've got all I need right here." Gabby cut her eyes at Michonne and Michonne smiled softly.

"I've got to admit. I've caught myself checking him out once or twice. No offense." Heather said to Beth.

"He does have nice muscle tone. I still prefer my geeks though." Maggie said with a smile.

"I do have one question Beth. How _is_ Daryl in bed?" Carol asked eagerly.

All movements and conversation ceased as the ladies all leaned in toward Beth. Beth looked around with an amused expression.

"You know how Daryl's always wearing those black boots?" Beth asked.

The women all nodded and waited. "Well, those are a size eleven and you know what they say about men with big feet. I can attest to the fact that it's very much true." Beth grinned.

"Beth Greene! What happened to my innocent little sister?" Maggie teased and put her arm around her sister affectionately.

The women all hooted with laughter and the teasings and lighthearted conversation continued as they began to work again. Beth looked around at each of them fondly. On days like today, she could truly appreciate them all and she almost felt hopeful of possibly having a normal life of sorts again one day.

...

Finally finished for the day, Beth headed out to the showers to cool off before dinner. She briefly caught a glimpse of the men around back as she walked in and she was delighted to find that she had them all to herself.

She quickly stripped out of her sweaty tank and shorts and stepped into the cool spray. It felt glorious as it washed over her warm skin. She grabbed the body wash next to the shower and began to wash herself. She tilted her head back and let the water rain down over her face and neck.

Warm hands descended onto her breasts and her head snapped forward to see Daryl standing naked before her. His eyes were dark and she could tell he was very turned on. He placed his hands behind her head and brought her lips to his. She returned his kiss enthusiastically.

"Been waitin' all day for this. Ya been teasin' me all day." He muttered.

Beth smiled against his lips. "You did your share of teasing too Mr. Dixon. The women really appreciated the show earlier." She replied playfully.

Daryl paused. "They saw?" He asked.

Beth laughed softly. "Just Carol, that's all. Now be quiet and kiss me."

She grabbed his head and pulled him back down to her. He trailed his fingers down her body and slipped one inside of her gently. She moaned and arched her back. He wrapped an arm around her to keep her from falling and then he moved them against the wall. He left her momentarily to grab more of her body wash and she watched him squirt some in his hands. He rubbed it all over her body from head to toe and she felt herself growing wetter as he kept up his sensual assault. She briefly realized how much their sexual relationship had matured since the beginning and how far they both had come.

He finally finished and before he could begin another distraction she changed places and made him lean against the wall. She grabbed the soap and worked it into a fine lather before massaging it into his muscles and then slowly down his body. She grabbed his arousal gently into her hands as she came back up and he sucked in a breath. The combination of soap and water created a nice friction and by the time she rinsed him off, he was breathing heavy.

He left her briefly to cross over to his clothes. He stuck his hand into his pants pocket and returned with a condom that he quickly opened and slid on. Using the wall as a brace, he lifted her up and onto him and they both moaned as she took him inside of her. She wrapped her legs around him and rocked with him, going in and out of the cool spray.

"Ain't gonna last Angel." Daryl muttered.

Beth bit his shoulder gently as she rocked out her release and the feel of her teeth on him made him find his own release seconds later. They both slid to the floor with Daryl gripping her tightly so that she wouldn't fall and they sat there for a few moments trying to catch their breath.

"That was really hot." Beth commented a few minutes later.

Daryl chuckled. "You asked for it."

Beth laughed softly and nuzzled into him. Daryl reached over and turned off the shower. Moments later they heard the door to the showers open and Rick and Carol's voice carried over to them. They looked at each other wide-eyed and ran to their clothes. Daryl caught her hand and tugged her the other direction as the two came into view. They glanced back briefly to see Rick pull Carol close for a sizzling kiss and Beth's eyes danced with laughter as she looked over at Daryl. He tugged on her hand and they dipped behind the other stalls to put their clothes back on. They circled back to the front as Carol let out a moan and Beth barely made it out the door in time before she started snickering.

"We need a damn sign round here. Else we need ta start makin' shower schedules." He made a grab for Beth and she laughed and danced just outside his reach.


	45. Chapter 45

****AN: Here's another short, fluffy, chapter for you all! I really wanted to get these updated because I know a lot of you enjoy reading them but my time was limited and I kept getting interrupted so I figured I would make them short so I was less likely to screw them up! LOL, thanks for the reviews, can't believe it's the 45th chapter and you all are still hanging with me! Thanks so much, I appreciate you all!**This first piece is from Gretta's POV. I figured it would be nice to dip into her world briefly for a little insight. Let me know what you think. :)**

Gretta sighed in frustration as she attempted to tighten her bow like Daryl had shown her once before. She shifted and stretched her legs out on the tree limb. She had climbed into the tree for some peace and quiet. She had a good view of most of the base from her perch and she watched as the group came and went without knowing she was there. She didn't know why the bow wasn't tightening like before. She was doing everything that Daryl had told her but it just wasn't cooperating.

She set it down and rested her head against the tree. She was feeling restless. She wanted to get out of here. She missed being on her own with nothing but the forest around her. The people here were great and she really enjoyed Carl and Jacob. It was nice to have people her age to relate to, but she was still unsure of where she fit in. She wasn't used to answering to anyone. Even though no one had ordered her around, she knew they would eventually. She figured that was how groups worked.

She felt the tree shake and then Daryl's voice spoke from a couple of branches over.

"Hangin' out?" He asked.

Gretta smiled. And then there was the matter of Daryl. She felt like she could really relate to him more so than anyone else and she wasn't sure she could walk away from that. Not to mention the small crush she had on him. She knew it would never amount to anything though. Even if she was his age, she could never do that to someone as kind as Beth.

"Jus' thinkin'." She replied.

"Must be pretty serious considerin' ya tearin' that leaf up in tiny pieces."

She glanced down at the torn leaf in her hand and dropped them the pieces off over the side of the limb. She watched them float slowly down for a moment before responding.

"I'm thinkin' 'bout hittin' the road." She muttered before she could lose her nerve.

Daryl was quiet for a few minutes and she turned to see if he was still there. Sure enough, he was still there but he was giving her a weird look and she crossed one branch over so that their voices wouldn't carry. She wasn't prepared to tell anyone else her thoughts right now.

"Whatcha' gon' do that for?" He asked with a frown.

She looked down at her dirty nails and absently picked at a hangnail. "I said I was jus' thinkin' 'bout it! I ain't decided nothin' yet. I'm feelin' restless." She muttered.

"I think it's stupid! What ya gon' do for food and shelter? Keep sleepin' in trees and hope ya don't fall out! I thought you was stayin'." Daryl said angrily.

Gretta glanced at him in surprise. _Did that mean he wanted her to stay? _She never thought about the possibility of anyone being sad to see her go. She figured she would just slip on off and that would be it. She had never had anyone care about her safety before.

"And who's gonna fix this damn bow for ya anyway?" He grumbled as he yanked the bow from its perch beside her leg. She watched, fascinated, as he tightened the bow up the way she had tried so hard to do mere minutes ago. She wondered how he even knew it needed it.

"I guess I can stay a while longer." She said carefully.

Daryl looked at her. "You ain't jus' sayin' that? 'Cause so help me God, I'll track yer ass down and bring ya back kickin' and screamin'." He threatened.

She smiled then. "I ain't goin' nowhere. For now."

Daryl relaxed and patted her shoulder. "Good. See that ya keep that promise." He said and he swung his legs over and dropped down out of the tree.

….

Daryl wiped his hands on his pants and gave one last glance up in the tree. He could barely make out her small form but he knew she was watching him and he looked away and continued on. He couldn't believe she was just going to sneak out on them like she didn't even matter to anybody. He was muttering to himself and didn't see Beth until he almost ran straight into her.

"Hey you." She reached up and planted a kiss on his cheek. She noticed his facial expression and she frowned. "What's wrong?"

He sighed. "Jus' had a talk with Gretta. She was gonna leave! Can you believe that," He threw his hands into the air in frustration. "Do ya know how devastated Carl and Jacob would be if she jus' up and went?"

Beth smiled as she watched him pace back and forth in front of her. "And you." She said.

Daryl stopped. "What 'bout me?" He demanded.

She touched his arm. "You'll miss her too."

Daryl realized she was right. As much as Gretta got under his skin, he _would_ miss her. She was like an annoying sister that you never knew you wanted until you got her. He chewed on his thumb thoughtfully. He supposed he would miss her more than Carl and Jacob even. What was going on with him?

"It's okay Daryl. She's become like family to all of us. She's just….special." Beth said softly.

…..

Tyreese had the solar panels up and running by the next day. Beth was so excited and she and Maggie had gathered up all of the lamps to put into the bedrooms for when the men were able to run the cords for the power. Daryl had taken out a battery from one of the vehicles in the parking lot to go along with the other that was being used for the solar panels currently. Tyreese was drawing up plans for a box of some sort to go around the batteries to keep the wind and rain away. Mike was busy showing Will how he wanted to try to run the cords to the buildings. Daryl was just filling in as needed.

"We might need more panels." Rick said from beside him.

Daryl nodded. "I was thinkin' tha same thing. They gonna be too many cords comin' from these to go all over this base."

Rick wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. It was a rather warm day and the women were all back at the garden again, making sure the crops were watered and all set for growing.

"Ain't so much hot as it is that we workin'. We ain't used ta all this exercise." Daryl commented.

Rick nodded. "You're right. We are a little out of shape."

"Speak for yourself." Glenn grinned from next to them where he had appeared with more cords.

Daryl scoffed. "I could take you on my worst day."

"Ha! You've got to be kidding me. He's kidding right?" He asked Rick.

Rick snorted. "You're both crazy," He wiped his brow again. "Besides, everyone knows cops are notorious for being fast."

Glenn laughed. "Yeah when ya bein' chased!"

Daryl gave Glenn a fist bump and they both chuckled. Tyreese walked over at the sound of all of their laughter.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"We're just discussing how _old_ Daryl and Rick are." Glenn said.

Daryl slanted him a look. "You best pray you run fast pizza boy." Daryl smiled.

"I'm not sure I'm understanding. Are you guys racing?" Tyreese asked.

"Sounds good to me." Rick pushed up the sleeves of his shirt.

Glenn threw the cords in his hands on the ground.

"Well, alright then!" Daryl said.

…..

Beth followed Michonne, Maggie, and Gabby over to where the men were while Heather and Carol went off to attend to Judith.

They arrived just in time to see the men all running for their lives. Momentarily alarmed they sped up until they reached them and they were all relieved to see that no one was chasing them. Carl and Jacob stood to the side cheering while Tyreese shook his head and smiled.

"What's going on?" Beth asked him.

Tyreese chuckled. "They're racing. First place means you're not dead yet."

They all turned to watch as Glenn tried to dart around Daryl and Rick. They both reached out a hand to trip him up but he narrowly dodged them and ran to the end of the building that they had designated as the finish line. He whooped and tossed his cap on the ground.

His victory was short lived however, as Daryl and Rick both took off after him. His grin disappeared and he took off at a run again. The women all laughed at their horseplay. It was nice to see everyone goofing off and having a good time for a change.

"Poor Glenn. They're really going to let him have it when they catch him." Gabby commented.

"Don't you mean _if_?" Maggie asked.

"Oh no, _when_ is right. Those two don't give up easily. They'll get their payback." Beth laughed.


	46. Chapter 46

Beth slid her hands under the blanket and down Daryl's chest as he slept. She was feeling quite frisky this morning and wanted nothing more than to have her way with him. He twitched and his eyes popped open a crack as her hand slid between his legs to grip him with her hand.

He raised a brow at her. "Gotcha an itch Angel?" He drawled sleepily.

Beth nodded slyly. "Gonna help me scratch it?" She teased.

He smiled and yanked the covers onto the floor. He kissed her lightly at first and then more deeply as their passions rose. She moaned as his mouth moved from hers to suckle her nipples. She lifted her hips towards him impatiently. They had slept naked again as they usually did when it started getting warmer out and it worked to get them into a frenzy most mornings. He continued kissing her breasts as he took his hand and pushed two fingers inside of her. She shuddered and moaned his name softly. He winked at her and stroked her with his fingers until she was panting and on the edge.

"Daryl, now!" She whispered.

He shook his head no and continued to stroke her. Moments later, she felt the release hit her and she rode his hand until she lay there spent. Daryl kissed her forehead and went to retrieve a condom. She listened as he searched through their usual spot but he came back to the bed frowning a few minutes later.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"We out o' damn condoms." He muttered grumpily.

Beth sighed. "I guess we'll have to make a run then." She absently trailed a finger up and down his naked thigh as he stood there with a frown. She slowly climbed to her knees and grabbed him with both of her hands, stroking him lightly. His eyes locked on hers and she could see the intense passion in them.

"I'll make tha run. You stayin' here." He managed to croak out.

Beth smiled. "We'll both go."

Daryl started to protest but she took him in his mouth and he sucked in a breath. She smiled up at him innocently and he swore.

"Fine. Both go, jus'... don't...stop." He ground out between clenched teeth.

...

Beth was smiling after Daryl had gotten dressed and left. She thought it was funny that she had gotten him to agree to let her go by distracting him. They had decided to plan the run for tomorrow morning, giving the others a chance to get a list together of anything they needed. She finished making the bed and walked outside to find Carl sitting on the steps. He stood up as she came out and then he frowned.

"Is Daryl with you?" He asked.

Beth shook her head. "He left a little while ago. Why, is something wrong?"

Carl looked down at his feet and then back up. "I don't know. I was really needing to find Daryl. Do you know where he might have went?" He looked slightly concerned by something but she couldn't tell.

"He didn't say this morning but I would try down by the fences or out at the gate."

"Thanks Beth!" Carl ran off before she could question him further.

She wondered what that was all about. She shrugged to herself as she decided it was probably guy stuff. She went off in search of the other women.

...

Daryl leaned against the guard shack smoking a cigarette. His mind was still on Beth from that morning where she had tricked him into letting her go on the run with him. He smiled at the memory and shook his head softly. He took one last drag and was just putting the cigarette out when Carl came around the corner.

"What's up?" Daryl asked.

Carl glanced around before speaking. "I can't find Gretta. She wasn't in her bed when we woke up this morning and Jacob said he hasn't seen her."

Daryl frowned then realized she was probably just hiding out for a bit like usual. "She's probably up in one o' these damn trees somewheres laughin' cause ya can't find 'er."

Carl didn't look convinced. "I know where she usually hides. Me and Jacob checked this morning and we didn't see her anywhere."

Daryl began to wonder if she really _was_ missing. Part of him thought she might just be hiding out but then if Carl and Jacob hadn't found her, what was going on?

"Well she's gotta be 'ere somewhere! Stay here and I'll go take a look 'round." He ordered.

Carl complied and moved to stand near the gate. Daryl saw that he had his knife so he figured the kid would be okay. Carl was far from the kid he had been when Daryl had first met him and more than capable of taking out a walker if need be. Daryl took off in the direction of the trees surrounding the parking lot.

"Damn kid. Gon' wring 'er neck when I find 'er! Gettin' everyone all stirred up." He muttered to himself.

He checked the first few trees that she sometimes frequented and he came up empty. He strode down to the other nearer to the base that he had found her the other day. He climbed all the way up the tree even though he could tell by standing beneath it that she wasn't there. Cursing, he shimmied back down the tree.

"Hey. Everything okay?" Tyreese asked as he approached from behind Daryl.

Daryl turned. "Carl can't find Gretta. Him and Jacob ain't seen 'er all mornin'. You seen 'er anywhere?"

Tyreese shook his head. "No. But then again, I've been over by the solar panels most of the morning. I know she was in her bunk last night though. Other than that, I'm afraid I'm not much help."

"It's alright. She's probably jus' hidin' out somewhere. Jus' gotta figure out where." Daryl said.

"Should I gather the others?" Tyreese asked with an expression of concern.

Daryl waved it away. "Nah. I'm gon' go find Jacob and ask 'round ta see if anyone else mighta seen 'er. Thanks." Daryl said and walked away in search of Jacob.

...

Beth held onto Judith's hands as she struggled to take steps. She was wobbly and she kept teetering forward towards the floor and Beth would steady her again.

"You're getting so big Judith!" Beth exclaimed.

"She is. She's growing too fast." Carol replied.

Beth eased Judith back down into a crawling position on the blanket they had spread out for her. Judith took off at a crawl, babbling happily.

Beth laughed. "She's so happy. I've missed spending time with her lately."

Carol smiled as she watched Judith grab a teddy bear and chew on it's ear. "Rick has been spending more time with her lately. I think it's good for him."

Beth eyed her curiously. "How are you and Rick doing?"

Carol blushed. "_Very_ well. He's so gentle with me. It's completely unexpected. He doesn't seem the type but he's very passionate." Carol laughed softly. "I'm sorry. That's probably too much info."

Beth laughed and touched her hand. "Not at all. I'm so happy for you. You both deserve this."

"Yes, well, I'm still getting used to the whole idea of an _us_. We haven't said anything to Carl even though I wouldn't be surprised if he knows. It's hard to keep anything a secret around here." Carol said. She made a face at Judith and Judith laughed and fell over onto her back.

"It is." Beth said absentmindedly. Her mind drifted to her conversation with Carl that morning.

He had seemed concerned about something and it was unlike him to keep things from her. He was growing up though, and she didn't spend as much time around him as she used to. He had forged a bond with Jacob and she thought that it was definitely good for him. Everyone needed someone to turn to.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Carol asked.

"Just thinking about Carl and how much he's changed. I ran into him this morning and he seemed concerned about something although he never said what it was." Beth said.

Carol smiled. "He's not confiding in you like he used to huh? He has done a lot of growing up. I think he and Jacob might have a thing for Gretta."

"Maybe that's what it was." Beth said thoughtfully even though she wasn't entirely convinced.

…

Daryl finally came across Jacob coming out of the showers. He jogged quickly over to him.

"Jacob!" Daryl yelled.

Jacob paused and looked around before spotting Daryl. He smiled and stopped to wait on him.

"Hey." He said.

"Listen, have ya seen Gretta today?" Daryl asked as he paused to catch his breath a minute.

"Not since last night before we went to sleep. She wasn't in her bed this morning but I figured she had just gotten up early like she usually does. Carl asked me about it too. Did something happen?" Jacob's eyes widened.

"Nah, everythin's fine. Just gotta talk ta her is all." He said to calm the boy.

Jacob smiled in relief. "Okay. Well if I see her, I'll tell her you are lookin' for her."

"Thanks." Daryl said as Jacob walked away. He continued to stand there for a minute, not quite sure what he should do. Either she was getting really good at hiding or she had run off. But she had _promised_ him she wouldn't.

Unless something _had_ happened to her. Daryl didn't want to think about that possibility.

****AN: I wonder where our little Gretta has disappeared to? Sorry, I had to stop there, got a lot going on. Review if you feel so inclined! Thank you! :)**


	47. Chapter 47

****AN: Hi all! I know I have been M.I.A. for a day or so and I'm sorry! I've been distracted and now I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. This is a short chapter but I'm working on getting more out tonight so bear with me! As always, I appreciate the time everyone takes to review! It really does keep me going! Thank you all! **

Daryl gathered up supplies to head out on a search for Gretta while Beth paced a few steps away.

"I think you should take someone with you. Like Rick or Michonne. Anybody." Beth said.

Daryl shook his head. "Ain't gonna be gone that long. I track better alone. Don't need nobody else ta worry 'bout. Besides, I ain't said nothin' to tha others."

Beth stopped pacing. "What?"

Daryl walked over to her and put his arms around her. "It'll be okay. I didn't want ta get 'em in an uproar 'til I know what's goin' on. There ain't no need ta worry 'em. I'll be back by dark."

Beth snuggled into his arms. "What do I tell them?"

He shrugged. "Tell 'em I went huntin'." He pulled back to kiss her deeply. She pressed herself against him and he pulled back slightly. "Ya wouldn't be tryin' ta seduce me, now would ya?"

She grinned. "No, but would it work?"

He shook his head with a half smile before his expression became serious again. "I need ta find 'er."

She nodded slowly. "I know." She reluctantly released him. He grabbed up his supplies and she watched the man she loved more than anything walk away.

...

After saying goodbye to Beth, Daryl slipped through the base unnoticed. He crossed over to the parking lot and trailed the fence line. He figured that since no one had let her out of the gate, then she must have climbed a tree to hop the fence. He had already checked the fence for any places she might have cut. There were none.

The trees next to the parking lot were the only ones that were tall enough to be able to climb and drop onto the other side. He walked slowly, his eyes scanning for her footprints. He found a disturbance in the dirt a few paces away and he crouched to study it. He couldn't be entirely sure that it was her, but it was very possible. He glanced around to see if anyone had followed him and then he shimmied up the tree. Maneuvering his way across the branches, he dropped down onto the other side.

"Damn, I'm gettin' too old fer this." He murmured as his feet hit the ground.

He hadn't wanted to tell anyone about Gretta because he wasn't entirely sure that there should be anything to be worried about. He tried to convince himself that everything was fine, that she was just off somewhere doing her thing. Except that she had _told_ him she wasn't leaving, and that would mean she had lied. He didn't want to think about how it would hurt him to know that she had lied. He had come to think a lot of her lately and he enjoyed having her around.

He pushed his way into the woods and tried to pick up on her tracks. He frowned in concentration at the patterns he kept picking up. They looked to be as if there were two people but he couldn't tell because they kind of landed on top of each other. He almost missed the walker that came staggering out from behind the tree. He raised his knife and barely had to move a muscle as it staggered right into the blade. The tip of the blade sunk into its eye with a sickening plop. He pulled it out and jammed it back through the skull.

"Nasty." He muttered to himself.

...

Beth finished helping Heather do the clothes and felt like she could just dunk her whole body into the tub of water that they had filled. The water was now lukewarm from sitting out in the sun as they took turns scrubbing and hanging clothes on the makeshift clothesline that Tyreese had hung for them a while back. Washing clothes was definitely _not_ her favorite chore but she had chosen it today over tending to the garden. Those in the garden were having it even worse because there was no shade over the garden.

"So have you seen Carol today?" Heather asked her.

Beth shook her head no. She scanned the garden but didn't spot her anywhere. "I guess she's with Judith."

Heather smiled. "Guess again. I saw her and Rick disappear into the showers earlier. Must be a good time because they've been gone for a good bit."

Beth laughed. "Are you timing them?"

Heather pinned the shirt to the line. "No. Just waiting on my turn with Mike." She laughed as Beth's mouth dropped. "You and Daryl should try it." She went back to hanging the clothes as Beth scrubbed the next batch.

"We have." Beth said nonchalantly.

Now it was Heather's turn to gape. "You little sneaks!" She smiled.

Beth enjoyed being able to sit idly and gossip without the constant fear of being killed, but her mind kept drifting back to Daryl and she prayed that he would find Gretta soon and bring her back. She knew how much everyone had become attached to her and she along with everyone else would be devastated if anything had happened to her.

Heather kept talking and Beth truly tried to focus on her words but she couldn't seem to focus on anything but Daryl and Gretta. She didn't like not being able to tell anyone what was going on and the fact that he had went alone. She knew he was more than capable but she still worried. _What if he didn't come back? _She noticed Heather waving a hand in front of her face and her thoughts snapped back to the present.

"I'm sorry. What?" Beth asked with an embarassed blush.

Heather finished pinning the shirt she had in her hands and gave her a long look. "Are you okay? You seem kind of preoccupied."

Beth nodded. She wanted to tell Heather everything just so that she could get it off of her chest and have someone else to worry with her but he had asked her not to so she didn't say anything. "I'm just thinking."

"Well if you ever need to talk, I'm a great listener." Heather smiled and grabbed another article of clothing.

Beth returned the smile but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

...

Daryl crossed over a fallen log and growled in frustration. The tracks were all over the place and now he could tell that there were definitely two sets of prints. He was growing frustrated. He was mad at Gretta for wandering off and he was also worried. He worried about those second set of prints. _Who knew what Gretta might have gotten herself into? _

"I'm gonna wring 'er damn neck." He muttered to himself.

He refused to think about the possibility of her not being found.


	48. Chapter 48

****AN: So I know all of you were worried about our Gretta so I thought I would hurry and get this chapter out. It's a little longer than the others but I know you all don't mind! There is also a scene from Michonne's POV. Enjoy!**

**...**

Daryl heard noises and inched closer to the sounds. He peered through some small bushes and could barely make out two people standing a few feet away. Then he heard _her_ voice and he almost sagged with relief.

"What ya mean? I can't take ya back ta these people! Ya don't understand. They been good ta me. They got standards and shit." Gretta was saying.

"Come on Gretta! I jus' need a place ta stay for a bit. Travis is gone. He…he didn't make it. I'm out here by myself!" A man's voice replied.

Daryl parted the bushes slightly with his hand and peered through to the two of them. Gretta was standing in front of a guy with her hands on her hips. The guy she was talking to appeared to be no more than a teenager and he looked scruffy. His clothes looked as if they had seen better days for sure.

"What happened to Travis?" Gretta's voice softened a bit.

The guy looked down at his feet. "We got caught in a herd. I couldn't save 'em." He muttered.

Gretta paced for a minute and appeared to be thinking. She stopped back in front of the guy and put her finger to his chest. Daryl almost grinned.

"_If_ I ask them to let ya stay _and_ they agree, ya gotta chip in. We all do our share. In fact, they probably lookin' for me right now. Daryl's gonna kick my ass fer this shit." Gretta said angrily.

Daryl smirked and thought she was probably right. At the moment though, he was so relieved she was okay that he couldn't think about kicking her ass. Sadly for her, the moment came and went quickly. He stood up then and walked from around the bush, drawing two pairs of astonished eyes towards him.

"Damn right, Daryl's gonna kick yer ass girl." He said as he crossed over to her with a determined look on his face.

To her credit, she actually looked apologetic for a minute and then she frowned. "You _followed_ me?" She hissed.

"I _tracked_ ya. Sure wasn't hard ta track, that's fer damn sure! What tha hell is goin' on here?" He demanded. He was tired and had spent most of his day tracking her just to find her with some boy. He was not in the mood for games.

Gretta glanced at the guy and then cleared her throat. "This is Kyle. I, uh, spent some time with his group a while back."

Kyle stuck out a hand to Daryl. "Pleased ta meet ya sir."

Daryl eyed him cautiously but didn't shake his hand. "Yeah, yeah." He muttered. He turned back to Gretta. "Ya didn't think ta tell anyone you was leavin'?"

"That's cause I ain't leavin'! Kyle was out by tha fence and I thought he was a bandit." Gretta said. She shrugged.

Daryl paced back and forth. "Lemme' get this straight. You thought this _boy_ was a _bandit_, so you hopped a fence ta get a better look?"

Gretta bit her lip and sighed. "I can handle myself. Quit yer pacin'."

Daryl paused and crossed to her. He stepped so close that she took a step backwards. "Ya got any idea how _worried_ I was?" He asked.

Gretta's shoulders sagged. "I didn't think, alright?"

Daryl chewed on his thumb as he looked from her to Kyle, who was suddenly looking as if he would rather brave the world on his own.

"Kyle needs a place ta stay. He's good people. He's like you an I good." Gretta put her small hand on Daryl's arm and felt it twitch beneath her fingers. Daryl let out a breath and looked at Kyle.

"I'll take ya back and then the group can decide. We don't make no decisions without tha group." Daryl said while studying Kyle.

Kyle nodded and stood stiffly. "Yes sir. I sure 'preciate it." He shifted a rather tattered looking bag and slung it over his shoulder. Daryl eyed it.

"That all ya got?" He asked him.

Kyle nodded. "Ain't much, but it's hard ta carry a lot on yer own."

Daryl nodded in understanding. "How ya been defendin' yerself?"

Kyle reached behind him and pulled out a filet knife from his waist. "Guttin' em'." He replied.

Daryl nodded and looked at the boy with respect for a moment. He really did kind of remind him of himself in a way. Except the boy was skittish somewhat, and Daryl was anything but.

"Alright. Let's head back." Daryl said and they fell into step behind him.

…..

Beth walked around in the yards. Every few minutes, her gaze would flick to the fences for any sign of Daryl. It was becoming late afternoon and she still hadn't seen him yet. _Maybe she should have given him a walkie._ She cursed herself for not thinking of it earlier but then she would have had to tell Rick why she needed them and Daryl hadn't wanted that. She didn't realize she was pacing until Michonne walked over to her.

"You look like you have a lot going on over here." Michonne commented.

Beth glanced at her. "Sort of." She chewed her lip nervously.

Michonne tilted her head at her to study her and Beth ducked her head. Michonne's stares were enough to make anyone nervous.

"Something going on Beth?" Michonne asked.

"No, everything's fine." Beth smiled.

Michonne raised her brows but didn't comment further. She placed her katana on the ground and took a seat under the tree that was next to Beth. She patted the ground beside her and Beth reluctantly sat. They sat in silence for a bit before Michonne spoke.

"Nice day out." She commented.

Beth looked at her and groaned. "Okay fine. Daryl is out there looking for Gretta. By himself." She added and then she felt bad for revealing his secret.

Michonne nodded thoughtfully and stared into the distance as she processed those words. "When did he leave?" She asked softly.

"Early this morning," Beth said. "But he told me not to say anything because he didn't want to make anyone alarmed unless he had to."

Michonne looked at her. "So Dixon decided to go out there alone? What if he ran into another group?"

Beth's gaze snapped to hers. "Oh God, Michonne. Don't say that!" Beth moaned and put her head in her hands.

"I'll give him a little more time, then Gabby and I will go look for him. Dixon is a good man, I'm sure he will be okay. I didn't mean to worry you further." Michonne said.

Beth let out a deep breath. She nodded but she _was_ worried.

_If he didn't come back soon, she was going to go look for him herself. _

…

Michonne watched Beth walk away a few minutes later and she was about to get up when Gabby walked over from the other direction. She sat back and admired her for a moment. She had never met a woman who had taken such good care of herself like Gabby. She was tanned, toned, and her movements were relaxed as if she had all the time in the world but Michonne knew that wasn't true. The woman fought better than most men. Gabby had worked her way right through Michonne's defenses and Michonne couldn't imagine being without her now. Her thoughts drifted to her time with Andrea and her heart ached a little for the blonde who she had also forged a deep bond with. She looked up as Gabby bent down to place a swift kiss on her lips.

"Hey you! I been looking for ya." Gabby said. She sat down next to Michonne and crossed her legs, while leaning back on her elbows.

"I've been here." She looked over at Gabby and Gabby winked at her. Then she frowned.

"You've been thinking about her, haven't you?" Gabby asked.

Michonne knew there was no denying that she had been thinking about Andrea. Gabby wasn't the jealous type. She knew all about Michonne's past and she was probably the only person who would ever know everything. That was the best part about their relationship. They didn't keep secrets from each other, _ever_. Michonne had never had that. Even when she thought back to her previous life before all this, she had never had this type of bond with anyone. Michonne had never been in a relationship with a woman before. She had enjoyed her share of men, but never women.

"How did you know I was?" Michonne asked.

Gabby smiled softly. "You get this look on your face when ya think about her. It's kinda cute."

Michonne scoffed. "No one has ever used the term _cute_ to describe anything about me."

Gabby grabbed her hand and traced her fingers over the calluses on Michonne's hand.

"Daryl is out there looking for Gretta and apparently he decided it was easier not to say anything to anyone about it." Michonne said.

"What possessed him to do that? That's idiotic. What if something happens?" Gabby frowned.

Michonne chuckled. "That's Daryl for you. I'm sure he can handle himself but Beth's worried."

"I'm surprised she's not out there herself. Beth has him wrapped around her finger and he doesn't even know it. It's quite amusing to see." Gabby smiled and Michonne squeezed her hand.

…..

Daryl led Kyle and Gretta back over the fence and onto the base. He cast a glance around and everything still seemed to be in order. He was going to have some explaining to do about Kyle though. He sighed and glanced down at the top of Gretta's head. She looked up at him and gave him a small smile.

"Thanks for bringin' him Daryl." She said softly.

Daryl raised an eyebrow. "Did I just hear you say _thanks_?" He asked incredulously.

Gretta hauled back and punched him in the arm. "Fuck!" He yelled and then tried to keep from rubbing his arm. The girl had a strong right hook. She grinned at him innocently now.

"Hurts, don't it?" She asked smugly.

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "My turn." He said and took a step in her direction.

Gretta's eyes widened and she stepped back a few paces. "No way! I'm a girl, you can't hit me!" She cried.

Daryl snickered. He wouldn't have ever hit her, but she didn't need to know that. He turned back to Kyle who was surveying the property with caution. Daryl slapped a hand on his back and the boy fell forward a couple of steps. "It's alright Kyle. We ain't gonna bite ya, less you ask us to." It was all Daryl could do to keep a straight face while the boy suddenly looked unsure. It made Daryl wonder how the boy had even made it this far.

…

The moment Beth spotted Daryl she took off at a run. A few of the members of the group looked at her curiously and then stood as they spotted Daryl with Gretta and a stranger. Beth ran straight to him and he gave her his slight smile as she approached. She didn't even stop, she jumped right into his arms and he struggled not to fall over from the impact. Somehow though, he managed to boost her up without them both falling over. She pressed her lips to his without a second thought and after a minute she felt him return the kiss as his arms wrapped around her tighter.

"Ugh," Gretta rolled her eyes at Kyle. "They do this a lot. Takes some gettin' used to." She told Kyle.

Beth pulled away rather reluctantly and just then seemed to notice they had a visitor. Her eyes shifted from Kyle to Daryl questioningly. Daryl lowered her to the ground.

"Come on. I'll explain it ta everyone at the same time." He said and he grabbed her hand to tug her along.

Now that Daryl was back, she could relax and she let herself be pulled. As long as he was with her, she could handle anything that life threw at them.

****AN: I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. I thought it might be good to get some insight into Gabby and Michonne's relationship. If you want me to explore it further, let me know. I hate to drag too much focus from Daryl/Beth, but I do like to see some of what the other's are going through from time to time. So, let me know your thoughts! Thank you all for the great reviews last chapter! It's so awesome to see how much everyone loves Gretta! (And to think I almost didn't use her, but she has become a beloved character to me as well!) ;)**


	49. Chapter 49

****AN: This is kind of a filler chapter and I'm not sure how I feel about it, but hopefully you all will like it. There is a little bit of Rick/Carol(Carick?) in here. Some of you mentioned about wanting to see a little of the other couples so I've decided to throw in glimpses of them here and there, but don't worry- they will in no way overshadow our Deth! Hope you enjoy and please review! Thank you! :)**

**...**

Daryl looked around at the other members of the group as he finished his story about coming across Kyle. The others were all talking amongst themselves and casting glances at Kyle. Kyle was shifting uncomfortably under the attention and Daryl figured he was likely to bail under the pressure at any given moment.

"So you're all alone?" Maggie asked Kyle.

He nodded. "Yes ma'am. My group was...well they ain't make it." He ducked his head and shuffled his feet.

Daryl caught Rick's stare and Rick motioned towards the back of the room with a tilt of his head. Daryl nodded and slipped off to talk to him. They stood at the back away from the others but still within sight.

Rick leaned in close to Daryl while looking at the group. "I'm not sure about this. He seems okay, but we don't really know much about him."

"Jus' look at him. He's shakin' in his boots. Don't know how tha kid lasted this long. We let him go back out there, he ain't gonna make it." Daryl said in a low voice.

Rick smirked at him. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were getting soft on us."

Daryl scoffed. "Ain't gettin' soft! Jus' hate ta see him get hurt fer no reason is all."

Rick hid his smile. "You know we are running out of room here. We can't keep putting everyone in the same room on bunks. People want their space."

Daryl chewed on his thumb as he thought about it. "What you sayin' Rick? Think we should move or somethin'?"

Rick sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "That's not what I'm saying. We've got a good thing here for now. I just want to make sure we are doing the right thing. It _is_ another mouth to feed."

Daryl nodded. He was trying to come up with a solution but his mind was coming up blank. He wasn't entirely sure why he was sticking up for the kid exactly but he just thought it would be wrong to kick him out.

"I uh, hope you don't mind, but I caught the last part of your conversation and I've been thinking about the whole privacy issue," Tyreese spoke up from behind them. "I was thinking we could try to build on to one of these buildings or put up some walls. I'm sure I could figure something out if we could do a run for some lumber."

Rick looked at Tyreese and then back at Daryl. "Maybe we could figure something out. We'll talk later. I suppose we should give the kid his fair shot like we did the others. Let's just try not to bring in any more people right now, okay?" Rick said to them.

They split back up and Daryl noticed Beth giving him a curious glance as he walked back over to where the group was still talking with Kyle. Gretta was doing her hardest to remain quiet but he could see that she was having a hard time with it.

"Well since no one else is going to ask, I will. Where were you going Gretta?" Carol asked the girl.

"I wasn't leavin'," Gretta rolled her eyes. "I saw somethin' in the woods so I went to check it out and I found Kyle."

"You just went out there by yourself?" Glenn asked.

"Um, yeah! I ain't scared or nothin'. Ain't no big deal." She crossed her arms.

"I don't think that was a very smart thing to do. Anything could have happened." Rick stated from behind her.

She spun on Rick. "Well it didn't! And I don't answer to nobody! I'll leave anytime I want!" She huffed.

Daryl narrowed his eyes. "We had a deal." He reminded her through clenched teeth.

She shrugged, but didn't meet his stare. "I said I'd stay fer _now_. Never said how long."

Daryl stared at her for a few long seconds while everyone in the room grew quiet. Everyone knew that Daryl had taken a liking to Gretta but it was still new to them. Daryl didn't say another word. He turned on his heel and walked out.

...

Beth looked from Gretta then to the door where Daryl had just exited. Gretta looked slightly sheepish now and she figured that Gretta had said what she did out of anger, but Daryl had taken it personally. She knew Daryl didn't take to too many people but for some reason, he had taken to Gretta pretty quickly. She couldn't quite explain it except that maybe he saw a lot of himself in her. She got up and exited out of the door while the others continued to talk amongst themselves.

It didn't take her long to find him. She saw the small glow of the lamp in the shed where she knew he sometimes went to think. She didn't bother knocking, she knew he would hear her; he always did. She closed the door behind her and saw him trying to shape some more bolts for his bow at the workbench. She walked up behind him and slid her arms around his waist.

"She didn't mean it." She whispered.

He shrugged and she bit back a smile at how child-like he seemed sometimes. He continued to shape the wood the way he wanted it and she watched him contentedly for a few moments. Finally he sighed and turned around so that he was holding her instead of the other way around.

"You okay?" She asked.

"I will be." He said.

He leaned his head down and drew her mouth to his for a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against his body. His hands moved down her back to cup her butt and he lifted her against him. She leaned her head back and his lips traveled to her neck to suck gently on her flesh.

"Daryl...we're in the shed." She whispered.

"Mmm..."

"Daryl! We don't have any condoms!" She laughed and swiped at his chest.

He reached behind him and turned off the lamp. She could hear his chuckle in the dark. "I know. There's other ways we can have a lil' fun."

Her laughter quickly turned into moans as he continued his assault on her body.

...

The group finally got everything settled and Kyle was put in the barracks on a bunk with the others. Carol had finished cleaning up the mess in the kitchen now that everyone was gone and she had just stacked the last dish when she saw a shadow pass by the door. She gasped and a few seconds later, Rick walked in the room. He stopped at her startled expression.

"You okay?" He asked.

She laughed, a little embarassed at herself. "I'm fine. You just startled me is all. You must be hanging out with Daryl too much. You're getting to be as quiet as he is."

He smiled and leaned against the doorway. "Need some help?"

She laid her towel across the dishes and shook her head. "I just finished, but thank you."

She wasn't used to men asking her if she needed help. Ed had never asked her if she needed help with the dishes. It was a strange yet pleasant sensation for her. She admired him as he leaned in the doorway. His shirt was a little tight, but she thought it showed off his muscles nicely. All that work the men had been doing was definitely paying off for him in a big way. His face was a little scruffy and in need of a shave, but it made him look more rugged in a way that she found sexy. Her eyes traveled down his body to his jeans and the way they hugged him. _Lord but the man could wear a pair of jeans!_ She made her way back up his body and stopped when she met his amused expression. She blushed and looked down at the floor. His boots thudded across the floor until they stopped directly under her gaze.

"You don't have to be ashamed you know. We're two adults. It's okay to check each other out." He said.

She looked at him then, her gaze serious. "What are we doing Rick?"

His brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Are we together or is this just some...thing?" She asked as she flung her hand out for emphasis.

"I like you Carol." He said gruffly.

She smiled. "I like you too."

"I would like for it to be more, but I'm not sure if Carl is ready for that."

She smoothed the wrinkles in his shirt with her hands and he placed his hands over hers. She stared up at him and he lowered his head to kiss her. His lips were warm and firm on hers and she leaned into his kiss. He walked her backward over to the wall and slid his hands under her shirt. She tilted her head back and his lips descended on her neck in a fluttering carress. She moaned softly as his hands covered her breasts and traced her nipples to hardened peaks. He was working on the buttons of her shirt when they heard footsteps. They both froze and Carol tried to get her bearings.

"Carol? Are you in here?" Carl's voice called out.

She took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm in here Carl. Be out in a minute. Is everything okay?"

His steps paused just outside the doorway and she felt Rick tense next to her.

"Judith is crying and she wants Dad but I can't find him so I thought I would get you and see if you could calm her down. She wants to read that story about the moon, and you and Dad are the only ones she'll let read it to her."

"I'll be there in a few minutes. Just let me finish up here." Carol called out as she quickly buttoned her shirt back.

Carl paused for a few minutes before replying. "Alright. I'll try to entertain her with her bear." Judith had a favorite bear that she liked to carry around and Carl had gotten good at making the bear noises for her that made her laugh. He was really good with Judith and he helped Carol out a lot. Even having Jacob there didn't distract him like she had thought it would. He genuinely seemed to enjoy teaching her things. Carol thought it was adorable.

Rick blew out a breath as they heard the door close behind Carl. "I can't believe we almost didn't hear him. I'm getting to old for this." Rick ran a hand through his hair.

Carol snickered. "If you're getting too old, what does that make me?" He gave her a slight smile and she kissed him on the cheek before walking off to go read Judith her story.

...

Beth lay in bed with Daryl and stroked her fingers across one of his scars lightly. He was tracing figure eight patterns absentmindedly across her shoulders. She knew that his mind was elsewhere at the moment, but her mind was still on their little rendevous in the shed. Daryl never ceased to amaze her and he was always so eager to please. She watched his brow crease as he lay lost in his thoughts.

She sat up suddenly, breaking his concentration. He glanced at her. "Turn over." She ordered.

"Why?" He asked.

"Just do it." She insisted. He grumbled something about bossy women, but he turned over and she smiled. She straddled his back and began massaging his shoulder blades with her fingers. She was rewarded for her efforts when he moaned and his body relaxed beneath her. She continued to work him for several minutes.

"I know what yer doin'." He mumbled.

She grinned. "Do you?"

"Yer tryin' to distract me from thinkin'."

"Maybe. Is it workin'?" She teased.

"Oh yeah." He groaned again as her fingers hit a tense spot and she rubbed it out with her hands.

She leaned forward and put her mouth next to his ear. "I love you Daryl." She whispered.

She felt him shiver slightly. "Love ya too Angel."


	50. Chapter 50

****AN: I hope everyone had a great day today! This chapter has a sexually explicit scene with Michonne and Gabby so if that kind of thing bothers you, just skip down a bit to the next part. I had mixed feelings about this chapter, so I hope it's OK. I don't fancy myself good at "filler" chapters or "fluff" if you prefer. I like to think I'm much better at the action and smut so these are always a stretch for me. I don't know though, you all tell me! LOL! Thanks for all of the reviews! I can't believe we are at 50 chapters! Should we keep going or is this getting tedious for you? I know some people don't like long fics so you tell me! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, enjoy! :)**

Michonne walked the fences at the prison, lost in thought. She was partially paying attention to the stragglers that wandered the fence, always looking for their next meal. Mostly her thoughts were centered on Gabby. Gabby had all but moved into Michonne's room. She had been staying with her every night and Michonne was starting to enjoy having her there. She had never craved the company of anyone else before but there was something about Gabby that just made you want to love her. Or at least, it did for Michonne.

She wanted to take their relationship to the next level but she wasn't sure how to go about doing that. What was the next level in this world? Marriage? That was a joke because there was nothing to be gained from marriage now. There were no laws saying you had to remain faithful, nothing to say that you were _legally _married. Maggie and Glenn had done it, but it didn't feel right to Michonne. She wanted something different, some other way to mark their union. Gone were the traditions of weddings and rings. It was the apocalypse, you could make up your own rules now and there was no one to stop you.

She was so focused on these things that she didn't hear someone approach from behind her until she felt herself being pulled behind a building. She whipped her katana out and had it up under the offending person's throat before she realized it was Gabby. She was grinning at her like an idiot and Michonne wanted to thrash her. She could have killed her but she knew Gabby didn't care. She loved a thrill. Michonne lowered her katana and couldn't help but smile at her.

"What were _you_ thinkin' about? I've _never_ been able to take you by surprise before." Gabby grinned.

Michonne wasn't quite ready to tell her about her thoughts yet. She needed some more time to think things through before she brought it up for discussion with her. "Just thinking about this new guy and the crowding issue." Michonne lied smoothly.

"I can help you with the crowding issue." Gabby winked at her. She pressed herself against Michonne. Michonne placed her hands on Gabby's waist and arched a brow at her. Gabby leaned in and kissed her, her tongue darting between Michonne's lips briefly before she deepened the kiss. Michonne returned the kiss with equal passion.

If someone had told her she would be enjoying sex with a woman so much before all this, she would have laughed and said that they were crazy. But not now. Now, she couldn't imagine it any other way and never once did she miss a man's touch.

Gabby's hands slipped up Michonne's shirt and underneath her bra to grab her breasts. Michonne moaned. Gabby was kind of rough when she was turned on and that roughness excited Michonne. Before she knew what was happening, Gabby was pushing her down next to some bushes and was taking off her pants. Michonne gave her a crazy look.

"We can't do this here!" Michonne hissed.

Gabby leaned down and nipped the sensitive flesh on the inside of Michonne's thigh. "Shh. It's fine. Let me get you off. I need you." Gabby pleaded and Michonne felt herself cave in. She was such a softie when it came to Gabby.

Gabby slipped her panties down her legs and yanked her legs apart. She ran a finger down the middle of Michonne's center and Michonne bucked beneath her hand. Michonne reached up and undid the buttons on Gabby's shirt to bare her breasts. Leaning upwards, she took one of them in her mouth and sucked greedily. She knew breasts were a big turn on for Gabby and Gabby moaned softly above her. She pulled back and looked down at Michonne.

"That was dirty." She whispered and Michonne grinned back at her.

She positioned herself between Michonne's legs and began working her with her tongue. Michonne gripped her by her hair and held her in place as she worked to bring her to orgasm. Her legs quivered as the sensations built within her. She knew that in the mood she was in, it wouldn't take her long. Michonne felt herself climbing upwards until finally she felt that familiar throb as waves of passion overcame her and she bucked against Gabby over and over until she lay spent. Gabby leaned back and gave her a wicked smile as she wiped her mouth.

"That was amazing." Michonne said.

"I know." Gabby smirked.

Michonne laughed and worked quickly to get her pants back on while Gabby buttoned her shirt back up. They embraced once more before Michonne continued on her perimeter check. She knew she was grinning like an idiot and she was grateful that there was no one around to notice.

...

Beth was leaving the kitchen from dish duty when she spotted Gabby emerging from the bushes behind a building. She had a leaf stuck in her hair and one of her buttons was unbuttoned. She gave Beth a dazzling smile and a wave as she floated past and it was all Beth could do to keep from laughing out loud. Apparently her and Daryl weren't the only ones getting it on in random places anymore. She shook her head and headed over to the garden to help Maggie with the watering.

"Hey." She called out to her sister as she walked up.

Maggie gave her a wave and continued on watering the crops. Beth grabbed up the other bucket and started in on the other row of crops. She couldn't wait until the crops got bigger and started producing fruits and vegetables. It would be so nice to have fresh food for a change.

"So how are things going?" Maggie asked as they crossed in front of each other on their separate rows.

"Pretty good. You?"

Maggie smiled. "Great." The sisters shared a laugh.

Beth put down her bucket and then got down on her knees and began pulling at a few weeds that had sprung up here and there. She didn't even notice anyone behind her until Kyle bent down next to her and grabbed a weed she was struggling to uproot. She sat back startled as he pulled it out of the ground.

"Thanks." She said with a smile.

Kyle blushed. "My pleasure ma'am. Shouldn't be out here gettin' them pretty hands dirty." He said softly.

Beth blushed and caught Maggie's eye who happened to be listening. Maggie wiggled her eyebrows and snickered softly. Beth narrowed her eyes at her sister. If she didn't know better she would think the boy was flirting with her. He had to be a couple of years younger than her though. She felt honored that he would try to flirt but her heart belonged to Daryl.

Beth stood up and walked over to try and find something to wipe her muddy hands on. Kyle was there seconds later with a handkerchief that he pulled out of his pocket. He grabbed her hands before she could say anything and he began wiping them off. It was such a sweet gesture that she didn't have the heart to tell him to stop.

"What tha hell ya think yer doin' there boy?" Daryl's voice said from behind her.

Beth groaned to herself. Leave it to Daryl to walk up now. Kyle immediately dropped the handkerchief and held up his hands like he was at gunpoint.

"Daryl, he was just helping. He was being nice." Beth said.

"Ain't look like it from here." Daryl grumbled.

Daryl had been grouchy ever since they had run out of condoms. The other things they did to please each other apparently weren't cutting it for him. So now everyone was having to put up with cranky Daryl.

"I was jus' helping her clean her hands." Kyle squeaked.

"Somebody ask yer opinion boy?" Daryl growled and he took a step closer to Kyle.

Beth stepped in front of Kyle as he shrank back in fear. She had to admit, Daryl did look pretty intimidating right now. She had gotten used to his moods though.

"Take it easy Daryl. He didn't mean any harm." Beth touched his arm. He frowned but didn't jerk away from her as she ran her fingers down his arm and leaned up to kiss him quickly on the lips.

Daryl wrapped his arms around her and leaned his mouth down to her ear. "I miss you." He whispered gruffly.

She smiled up at him. "I'll try to make it up to you later." She whispered.

"Excuse me sir, I-" Kyle began from behind them.

"Shut yer mouth boy." Daryl snapped and with one last kiss from Beth, he stalked off.

Beth heard Maggie snickering from somewhere off to the side and she sighed as she watched Daryl walk away. She glanced over at Kyle and she felt quite bad for the boy. She patted his shoulder reassuringly. "It's okay Kyle. He's just having a bad day." She smiled, but the boy didn't look convinced.

...

Daryl stalked across the yard. He knew he was being unreasonable right now but he couldn't help it. He needed to find some condoms and he didn't want to wait until the next run to get any. He knew that with all the people getting it on in their group that s_omebody_ had to have condoms. His first thought was Glenn but he figured the kid would have them hidden away somewhere as much as he and Maggie went at it. Then he remembered that Rick and Carol were sneaking away now and he smiled as he headed towards Rick's room.

He didn't see anybody in the building as he knocked and then opened Rick's door. He shut it carefully behind him and pulled out the drawers of the nightstand beside Rick's bed. There was nothing in there but some shotgun shells and a few pieces of paper. Daryl cursed. He knew that Rick had to have them somewhere, unless Carol had them squirreled away. He exited Rick's room and went down the stairs to the basement that Carol shared with Carl and Judith. The few drawers in the room left him empty-handed and he scratched his head as he tried to think. He smiled and lifted the mattress to Carol's bed.

_Bingo._

There was a whole box of condoms under there and he quickly counted out half and went to stick them in his pockets as the door opened and Carol came in. She looked startled at first and then she raised a brow at seeing him holding the row of condoms in his hand. He fumbled for an excuse but came up empty.

"You could have just asked if you wanted to have sex with me Daryl." Carol joked.

Daryl turned five different shades of red and he thought he had never been so embarassed in his life. Well, until Carl coughed from the doorway and they both looked over to him. He could only imagine how it looked. He was standing there with a handful of condoms and Carol had just joked about them having sex. He stole a glance at Carol for some help but apparently she was as dumbfounded as he was at the moment.

"Fine time fer jokes." Daryl grumbled. Carol shot him a look and cleared her throat but Carl spoke first.

"Are you cheating on Beth?" Carl asked him with narrowed eyes.

"Of course not!" Daryl ground out.

Carol finally found her voice. "Carl we were just joking around." Carl raised a brow in disbelief and Daryl didn't much blame the kid. It did look really bad. "Daryl would you mind putting those away now?" Carol whispered.

Daryl looked down at his hands and realized he still had the condoms dangling from them. He quickly stuffed them into his pockets.

"What's going on here? Are you and Beth fighting?" Carl asked.

"No, we ain't fightin'! I just came to borrow somethin' from Carol here." Daryl said.

Carl finally shot him an amused expression. "Condoms?"

"You shut yer mouth kid. You ain't s'posed to know 'bout things like that." Daryl said.

Carl smirked. "I know enough." He said with a red face.

Daryl was suddenly aware of how this conversation had gotten all too personal. He was sweating now and he needed some air. "Jesus. I'll pay ya back next run." He said to Carol quietly and he brushed past her and then Carl as he went up the stairs and out of the door.

"Can't even piss without e'rybody knowin' 'bout it no more." He grumbled.


	51. Chapter 51

****AN: So, here we go. For those who enjoy the smut, this chapter has plenty of it! I quite enjoyed this chapter so I hope you all do as well. We'll be having some drama come up soon, but for right now we'll just enjoy the Deth! :) Thanks for all the awesome reviews, you all ROCK! **Sidenote: I started another fic. I don't know if any of you also ship Caryl but it's called Fallen Angels and there will also be some Meth in there. If you're interested, look it up. If not, I totally understand! Thanks for being great! :)**

**...**

The condoms were burning a hole in Daryl's pocket but now he couldn't find Beth. He had looked all over for her but she was nowhere to be found. He was getting frustrated because he was used to them having their alone time every day and they hadn't been getting that. Daryl wanted to bury himself inside her and he wanted to do it _now._

"Hey Daryl, we thinking about going on a run for lumber tomorrow. You in?" Glenn walked up to him and asked.

Daryl's gaze was everywhere but fixated on Glenn. "Sure." He mumbled distractedly.

Glenn waved a hand in front of his face and Daryl narrowed his eyes at him in annoyance. "What's up with you?"

"Nothin'. You seen Beth anywhere?" Daryl asked.

Glenn scratched his head. "I think I saw her earlier with Judith. I don't know where she might be now though."

Daryl didn't reply and walked off towards the mess hall. If she wasn't in here, he was going to go crazy. He had been sporting an erection all day and it was becoming a bitch to hide it. Cold showers were not a substitute for sex. He stalked inside of the kitchen area and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Beth. Then he groaned when he realized she had Judith and she wasn't alone.

"Hey you." She smiled up at him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Hey. Listen I got some condoms an I was thinkin' we could slip off somewheres..." He grabbed her hand.

She laughed. "Daryl! I'm babysitting Judith! I can't just leave her."

He looked from her to Judith and back to her again. He growled in frustration. "Well how long ya got her?"

She shrugged. "Carol had some things to do so I said I would watch her. She didn't say how long she would be."

Daryl scowled. "Things ta do my ass. I bet her an Rick's holed up somewhere gettin' it on. I seen how many condoms she had squirreled away." He grumbled.

Beth passed Judith a sippy cup of water and turned back to Daryl. "Speaking of Carol. I heard that you two were having a serious discussion about sex..." Beth hid a smile.

"I ain't said nothin' ta Carol 'bout havin' sex with her, I swear!" He cried. He chewed on his thumb worriedly as he stared at her.

Beth laughed and went over to him to soothe him. "I know that silly. I just overheard Carl and Gretta talking about it. It's kind of funny, don't you think?"

"Hell nah, I don't think it's funny! An' now Carl's out there runnin' his big mouth. I swear I'ma strangle that kid." He turned to leave but she grabbed his arm.

"Why don't you go wait for me in the room? I'm sure Carol won't be much longer." She pressed herself up against him.

His eyes darkened and his arms encircled her waist tightly. He leaned down and nibbled on her ear. She let out a moan and he trailed his lips down the side of her face to brush them against her mouth. Their breath mingled together as he paused and then his lips crushed down on hers hungrily. He ran his hands inside her jeans and realized she wasn't wearing any underwear. His eyes shot to hers and she grinned wickedly. He narrowed his eyes and began to walk her back to the corner where they were hidden by the big refridgerator.

"Judith!" She protested.

"Don't move." He growled and he turned to grab some cookies from a shelf. He opened the box and handed two of them to Judith who babbled something that sounded like cookie and began gnawing on them happily. He ruffled her fine hair affectionately and crossed back over to where Beth was leaning against the wall. Her lips were swollen from his crushing kiss and he thought she had never looked more enticing than right at that moment. He set his crossbow on the floor and wedged his knee between her legs. She moaned softly and ran her hands up his shirt. He slid his hands under her shirt and unsnapped her bra. He yanked her shirt up over her breasts and took her nipple into his mouth. He traced his tongue around the nipple and sucked greedily. She lifted her hips against him and his hands traveled to the button on her jeans. As soon as he had them unzipped, he slid his hand down again to slide his finger inside of her. He wasn't in the mood for teasing. He was on the edge and he vibrated with his need. Cursing at how wet she was, he decided he wasn't waiting until Carol brought her ass back around. He yanked her jeans down and she gasped.

"What if someone comes in?" She panted.

"Then they'll jus' get more than they bargained for I reckon." He said.

He pulled one of the condoms out of his pocket and unbuttoned his jeans enough to slip his dick out. He slid the condom on and lifted Beth in his arms. She wrapped her legs around him and he slid inside of her. They both gasped with the pleasure. Daryl couldn't believe how tight she felt. Maybe it was just because it had been a couple of days since they had last had sex, but he knew he wasn't going to last long.

"I'll give ya more later, okay?" He asked against her neck. She nodded and bucked her hips against his in response. He groaned and began pounding into her until they were both breathing heavy from their exertions.

"Gotta come for me, Angel." Daryl whispered against her lips.

That was all it took and she was soaring, her body pulsing around him. It was too much and he felt himself following right behind her as he groaned through his release. When they were both finished she unwrapped her legs and he held her as she slid shakily to the ground. He kissed her once more and disposed of the condom before zipping his pants back up. He left her to get herself together and he went to check on Judith who was gnawing her last bit of cookie. She offered the cookie that was gooped with drool to Daryl who smiled down at her.

"Nah, Lil' Asskicker, that's your cookie. You eat-" He stopped as he heard the click of the mess hall door shut. He frowned and crossed to the doorway to look across the cafeteria to the door. There was no one there but he had most definitely heard someone shut the door.

_So who had been in the cafeteria listening?_

...

Daryl had left in a hurry some time ago mumbling about somebody being in the cafeteria and now Beth was left alone with Judith again. She made funny faces at her and smiled at Judith's happy laughter. It was so nice to see her getting enjoyment out of life. She only hoped that Judith would grow up to live a long and somewhat happy life. Maybe by the time she grew older, all of the walkers would be gone. Beth could only hope.

She heard the door open to the outside and peered around Judith's playpen to see Carol walking over. Judith squealed as soon as she saw the woman.

"Mama!" Judith babbled.

Beth turned wide eyes at Carol. Carol just laughed. "It's not the first time she's said it, but Rick says he's fine with it so I don't stop her."

Beth smiled at the two of them as Carol bent over to pick the happy little girl up. "So, did you and Rick have fun?" Beth teased.

Carol's face grew bright red. "As a matter of fact, we did. Three times actually."

Both of the women laughed. It was so nice to see Carol so happy. She didn't think she had ever seen Carol this carefree before. She and Rick were good for each other. She settled in for a few more minutes to talk to Carol and play with Judith. It was turning out to be a quiet, lazy, day and she embraced it with open arms.

...

After dinner, Beth walked hand in hand with Daryl back to their room. Daryl's thumb was stroking her hand absentmindedly and she was aware that he still owed her from earlier. She led him towards their room with all intents of jumping him but he pushed her past the room at the last minute and into the library. It was pitch black and she laughed as he bumped his knee into one of the tables and cursed.

"What are we doing?" Beth whispered. She didn't know if Michonne and Gabby were in their room or not and she didn't want to attract attention.

"Jus' hush woman." Daryl replied.

She let him lead her slowly around the tables and behind the bookshelves. As soon as they rounded the corner, he pushed her up against the shelves and began kissing her. She tried to wrap her arms around him but he pushed them up against the shelf and grabbed her wrists with one hand, effectively pinning her. She wasn't sure where this was coming from but she was liking it.

His free hand coasted down her shirt and undid the button on her jeans. He unzipped them and worked them down with his hand until they were bunched around her ankles, pinning her legs. He stroked her with one finger.

"Been thinkin' 'bout you walkin' 'round wit no damn panties on all damn day." He growled softly.

She smiled against his lips. "I been thinking about you too." She murmured.

He let go of her hands momentarily to push her shirt up and over her head then he pinned them back up against the books. He pushed her bra up and his mouth descended onto her nipples and he sucked greedily. She felt his tongue swirl and flick across them until they were hard peaks. She moaned softly and he let go of her so that they could both shed theirself of their clothes. He turned her around towards the window so that her back was to his chest. She could see the yard down below if she squinted through the window into the growing darkness. It was highly erotic to feel exposed even though no one would be able to see them.

She felt Daryl's mouth on her shoulder and she leaned into him as he sucked on the soft skin there. His hands roved over her breasts and down to her core where he dipped a finger in her teasingly. She arched her back to try and send his finger deeper but he pulled it away.

"Not fair." She pouted.

"Who said anythin' 'bout bein' fair?" He growled against her ear.

His deep voice sent shivers through her spine. She reached her hands behind her and grabbed him. He hissed in a breath and she smiled. He grabbed one of her nipples and rolled it lightly back and forth between his fingers. She let go of him as pleasure vibrated through her. His other hand coasted down to her and he slid two fingers inside of her as his other hand continued its assault on her nipple. She whimpered and grabbed his arm. His muscles flexed under her hand and her breathing quickened as she felt herself nearing her release. She could feel his erection pressing into her from behind and the sensations were overwhelming. His lips nibbled on her ear lightly.

"Come for me Angel. I wanna hear you." He whispered.

She didn't know if it was his words or the feeling of his breath tickling her ear but she felt her body spiraling out of control seconds after he uttered the words. He never stopped and she cried out over and over as the spasms rocked her. He finally released her and she leaned her hands against the windowsill to support her shaky legs.

She heard him tear open a condom wrapper and she grinned at the thought of him carrying condoms around with him all day. Then he was back and she started to turn but he stopped her. He pushed her farther over and slid inside of her before she could figure out what was going on. She groaned at the feel of him entering her this way. It was so tight and the friction was out of this world. He grunted as he pushed in and pulled out slowly. She could feel his body vibrating with need and she knew he was just as turned on as she was.

She pushed back against him with every thrust and then her body just exploded its release. She rocked her body against him as the orgasm shook through her. Somewhere through the midst of it, she heard his groan and then he was collapsing against her breathlessly.

They stood that way for a bit, both of them trying to get their bearings and catch their breath. Finally he pulled out of her and she slid to the floor on top of their clothes. He disappeared around the bookshelf for a few moments and then he was back. He pulled on his pants and sat down next to her on the floor. She could sense his grin without even being able to see him.

"What are you smiling about?" She asked.

"Nothin'." He responded.

"What is it?" She nudged him with her shoulder.

"Jus' thinkin' 'bout how much I like that Kama Sutra book o' yours is all." He chuckled.

"_That's_ where you got this idea?" She asked. She had forgotten all about that book.

"You two 'bout done in here? I swear I'm gonna have to see about changing rooms just to get some peace and quiet." Gabby's voice rang out from the doorway.

Beth froze and then she started snickering. She couldn't help it. She could feel Daryl's annoyance next to her but there was just something so funny about the whole situation.

"Yeah well we was jus' practicin' for when you two get goin' so's we can compete." Daryl yelled back.

Beth felt the tears running down her face as she doubled over. It was quiet for a moment by the doorway and she wondered if Gabby had even heard him.

"See? _This_ is why I like women!" They heard Gabby mutter and Beth figured she must be talking to Michonne.

She wiped the tears from her eyes and felt Daryl's eyes on her. "What?" She asked.

"Ready for round two?" He snickered and she howled with laughter all over again.


	52. Chapter 52

****AN: Here's a nice filler chapter for you all! It's not much, but it's something. We've got some things coming up soon so be warned. I've got some nice ideas for our little group here and I'm excited! I wonder what else we can find? We'll just call it lucky that they found two ducks and leave it at that. It could happen, okay? LOL! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and thanks for all the reviews and support! You rock! ;)**

**...**

Early the next morning Daryl met up with Glenn, Tyreese, and Mike to gather the supplies needed to make a run. They were going further out this time and figured they would take two of the vehicles in case they ran across other supplies they could use. The women were busy out in the garden and figuring out where everything would go once the plans were in affect.

The plan was to gather lumber and supplies needed to build walls inside the barracks for extra rooms. Tyreese figured they could probably work around most of the bunks that were in there but some people would have to find a new sleeping place for a while until the work was completed. It didn't matter to Daryl, as long as no one invaded on him and Beth's privacy. He could deal with anything but that.

He secured his crossbow to his back and watched as Glenn brought around another of the trucks they had. He was ready to go. He was always up for a run and he quite enjoyed the excitement of getting away from the group for a while. He figured he still had a few minutes and he lit up a cigarette, enjoying the feeling of relaxation. That feeling of relaxation quickly faded however, when he saw Gretta march past him and stick her small pack in one of the trucks. He frowned and walked over to her.

"What tha hell you think yer doin'?" He asked roughly.

She glanced up at him innocently. "I'm going. I need the practice." She crossed her arms in front of her defensively.

"Tha hell you say! Ya can practice right here! You'll get yerself killed if we run into a herd!" Daryl yelled.

Gretta glared at him and put her hands on her hips. She poked him in the chest with her finger. He might have found this amusing on any other day as she only came up to his chest, but he was too busy trying to figure out a way to leave her behind. "Yer not tha boss of me Daryl Dixon! I'll go if'n I want and ain't a damn thing you can do 'bout it!" She removed her finger and turned on her heel to stalk away while he stood there and glared daggers at her retreating back. The girl had grit, he'd give her that.

He crushed out his cigarette and intended to go after her, but a familiar hand grabbed his arm.

"Let her go Daryl." Beth said from beside him. She had prepared a bag of food for them like she always did and she placed it in his hands.

He accepted it with a frown. "She's just a kid! Anythin' can happen out there." He grumbled.

Beth ran her hands over his chest in an attempt to soothe him. "It's okay. You'll be there and so will Glenn, Mike, and Tyreese. She's in good hands. Would you rather her go when you're not around to keep an eye on her? You know she will." Beth said.

Daryl looked down into her face. As much as he hated it, she was right. He _would_ feel better knowing that he was there in case anything went wrong. Sometimes he wondered if Beth didn't know him better than himself. He found himself staring down at her hands that were still on his chest and thinking of other places she could put them. He grinned wickedly at his thoughts and she narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"What's so amusing?" She demanded.

"Jus' thinkin' 'bout other places you can put them hands." He said.

She smiled up at him then and twined her arms around his neck. "Later." She breathed into his ear.

Her breath tickling his ear made parts of his body start to awaken and he pulled back from her quickly. The last thing he needed was anybody noticing he had an erection. He would never hear the end of it.

"Hey. You ready?" Tyreese nodded to Beth and then eyed the bag in Daryl's hands.

Daryl followed his gaze and tightened his grip on the bag. "This is goin' in my truck." He said.

Tyreese groaned. "Come on man. I _know_ she put jerky in that bag. I sure do love jerky."

"Too bad. It ain't fer now. It's for later," Daryl said. "I'm comin'; gimme' a minute."

He turned to Beth. "Well gimme a kiss woman so's I can go and come back. Gotta hot date waitin' on me an' I can't be late." He teased.

She laughed and kissed him softly on the lips. "Love you." She whispered.

"Same here." Daryl said and glanced around to see if anybody was listening. He wasn't any longer afraid to kiss her in public, but declarations of love were a whole other matter.

Daryl climbed into the truck and scowled at Gretta who sat defiantly in the passenger seat. She smiled prettily at him in response. He noticed Glenn was sitting in the backseat so that must mean that Tyreese and Mike were driving the other vehicle. They pulled the vehicles up to the gates and Rick and Michonne opened them and waved them on while Gabby cleared any walkers from the area.

...

Daryl led the way with Glenn pouring over a map in the backseat. This was going to take a little longer than their last few runs, but hopefully it would be worth it. Glenn directed him through the nearby small towns and then they made it out onto the open road for a bit. Daryl relaxed behind the wheel and enjoyed the feel of the breeze coming through the open windows. Gretta sighed next to him and he glanced at her to find her chin propped up on her hand, gazing idly out of the window.

"This is boring." She muttered.

Daryl raised a brow. "Yer the one who wanted ta tag along."

He was actually relieved she was bored though. Being bored wasn't a bad thing. Nowadays if you were bored, it only meant that there were no walkers around to entertain you. No walkers was always a good thing in Daryl's book.

"I'm ready fer some action." Gretta said.

Glenn snorted. "Stick around kid. You'll get more than your share eventually I'm sure."

Daryl glanced behind them again to make sure that the other two guys were still back there. He liked to keep an eye out in case they had to pull over suddenly. It wouldn't do to get split up, too much could go wrong in a situation like that. He stared out over the fields as he weaved around a few abandoned cars. They were passing through a lot of farm country and the fields stretched on for miles it seemed.

Something to the left caught his eye and he slowed down so that he could look. Gretta perked up at this and practically breathed down his neck trying to see what he was looking at.

"Damn girl, ya gotta climb in my lap?" Daryl growled.

She blushed and muttered an apology before scooting back a few inches. Now Glenn was leaning forward in an attempt to see what was going on. There it was again. It was hard to see but he had a hunch.

"Hang on!" He yelled and swerved off the road to cut across the fields. He looked back to make sure the others had seen the turn and saw them slowly turning to follow. He knew they were wondering what was going on, but they dutifully followed.

Daryl pulled the truck to a stop as he almost ran straight into it. He heard the sounds of excitement from Glenn and Gretta as he stared at the pond. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and it was pretty big with a small dock. He climbed out of the truck as Mike and Tyreese pulled up.

"Might be some fish in there." Daryl commented as Tyreese walked over with Mike close behind.

"That's what I was just thinking." Tyreese said as his eyes scanned the pond.

"How are you going to fish without a pole?" Mike asked.

Daryl and Tyreese turned to him with amused expressions on their faces. "You ain't a country boy are ya?" Daryl asked.

Mike grinned. "No. We were suburb people."

Tyreese clapped his big hand on Mike's shoulder. "We improvise." He exchanged a grin with Daryl.

"Improvise?" Mike asked.

"Yeah. You see, ya get down in the water an' stand real quiet an' still like an' then ya wait until tha fish swims by and, BAM, ya grab it." Daryl said.

Mike nodded thoughtfully. "Well, if you're sure it would work..."

"Of course it works. We were both raised in the country. It's fool-proof." Tyreese played along with Daryl. They each held back their grins as Mike appeared to be contemplating this.

"Alright, let's do it." Mike said.

"Alright. After you." Tyreese said with a sweep of his hand. They walked down to the edge of the pond where Glenn and Gretta were staring down into the water.

"I've seen two fish already!" Gretta exclaimed. "This is so cool!"

Daryl smiled a little at that. He was glad to see her excited about something for a change. She needed to act more like a kid and he was suddenly glad that she had come along. He scanned the edges of the pond for walkers, but didn't find anything. A splash off to the side caught his attention.

"A fish!" Gretta yelled.

"Shh!" Daryl hissed.

"That's not a fish," Glenn said suddenly. "It's a _duck_. _Two _to be exact." He peered excitedly at the water.

"Damn! We need ta catch 'em!" Daryl said. He ran back to the truck and rummaged around for something to hold two ducks in. He came up empty-handed and frowned. He was determined that those ducks were going home with them today though. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen a duck. It was literally a miracle they had survived this long.

He walked back down to the pond after searching through both vehicles with no luck. Mike and Glenn were already at the end, trying to corner the ducks who were effectively playing keep away. Glenn made a leap for one of them but slipped in the mud at the edge of the pond and fell face first into the pond. They all laughed as he came up sputtering and covered in lily pads.

"Well at least it's cooler now." Glenn grinned as he began to pick the lily pads off of him.

"I've got an idea! Be right back!" Gretta said and ran off towards the trucks. Daryl wondered what she was up to and she finally came back several minutes later. She showed them the crumbled crackers in her hands. "I figured Beth would pack some crackers an' I was right. Maybe we can tempt them with food."

Daryl had to admit it _was_ a good idea. The others were watching with expressions of amusement and excitement. This was the most entertainment they had had for a while. Gretta tossed out a few crackers and they all waited with bated breath. Several agonizing minutes later, the ducks began to drift towards the cracker crumbs that were beginning to sink. They watched as a fish popped up from below the surface and sucked up a crumb. Gretta laughed excitedly and pointed.

"Throw some more Gretta." Tyreese said quietly so as not to scare off the ducks.

"Yeah throw them a little closer this time." Glenn whispered.

Gretta obliged and threw them closer and closer until the ducks were almost on the pond's edge. Daryl shared a look with Glenn and saw his slight nod. They both pounced at the same time. For a few minutes, all you could see and hear were splashes of water, quacks, and the sounds of feathers flapping frantically. Several minutes later, both boys emerged victorious and dripping wet. They were gripping the ducks by their legs and they tucked them under their arms so that they couldn't flap their wings.

"What are we puttin' 'em in?" Gretta asked excitedly.

"The truck." Daryl replied. Three pairs of eyes stared back at him quietly. "What? Ain't no other way ta keep 'em. We stick 'em in with Mike and Tyreese in tha back and keep tha windows rolled up enough they can't fly out."

Tyreese shrugged. "Might work. Sure would be neat to have ducks. We could breed them if they are male and female. Does anyone know how to tell?"

Everyone shook their heads no. No one had ever really thought about breeding ducks before. Daryl followed Glenn up to the truck and opened the back door to shove them quickly inside.

"Guess we can't fish without no bucket. Sure would be nice ta build us a lil' pond and stock it up." Daryl said.

"That's not a bad idea. I think we might could make it work." Glenn added.

"Maybe we can stop by on our way back? I'm sure we can find a bucket and reels while we're out." Mike suggested.

They all agreed to plan a quick stop on the way back and they hopped back into their vehicles. Daryl had to laugh as he saw the ducks flapping around in the back close to the other guy's heads.

"I'm glad I'm here and not there." Glenn mused as he went back to studying the map.

"It's good for 'em. Gives 'em somethin' ta do." Daryl chuckled as he maneuvered the truck back to the road.

"Like what? Practice their defensive driving?" Glenn quipped. They all shared a laugh as they continued on. Daryl realized he had never had this much fun on a run before. He couldn't wait to get to the next town and see what else they could find.


	53. Chapter 53

****AN: Got this one up at the last minute! I hope everyone is having a great day! I don't think this one is all that great, but at least it's something. I appreciate you all hanging with me on this one. This one is my baby! There's not much else to say so I'm going to let you all get to it. Please forgive any errors I may have missed. Much love!**

**...**

They traveled fifteen more miles before coming to the next town. Daryl drove up and down several streets until finally, they spotted a small lumber yard. He pulled the truck up next to the gate that surrounded it, and they surveyed the area. There were a few walkers milling around in the street, but not enough to be a threat to them. Daryl grabbed his bow and knife and turned to Gretta.

"Stay close kid." He said.

She gave him a glare. "I'm not a kid."

Daryl didn't respond and climbed out of the truck. Behind him, he heard Mike and Tyreese hurriedly exit their truck, and the brief sounds of flapping feathers. They worked together to take out the walkers that were hanging around and then they walked up to the fence to peer inside.

"There's a lot of lumber in there." Mike said.

"Yeah, but we don't know what else is in there either." Glenn commented.

Daryl was quiet as he observed the inside from behind the fence. He didn't _see_ anything moving around in there, but experience taught him that it didn't necessarily mean that there wasn't anything there. He sighed and then realized that the others were all staring at him.

"What?" He griped.

"Well, what's the plan boss?" Tyreese asked.

"I ain't no boss!" Daryl scoffed.

"You're like second in command to Rick. Rick's not here. That makes you the boss." Glenn said.

Daryl rolled his eyes and thought about it for a minute. "Let's get this gate open and take a look around. If it looks alright, we'll back the truck in and load it up."

The others nodded and Mike and Glenn quickly worked to get the gate open. They slipped inside and made their way cautiously through the stacks of lumber. Daryl didn't expect to run into many walkers because not many people looted lumber during an apocalypse. He kept an eye out for Gretta and was pleased to see that she remained quiet and kept up with the group. She had her bow out and she looked like a miniature female version of himself.

There was one building on site and it looked relatively small. Daryl figured it had probably served as an office. Beyond that building was a big shelter with more rows of lumber and they traveled down the middle of the aisles warily. Daryl was relieved when they reached the other side of the fence. It was a good day when you didn't run into any walkers while trying to load up supplies. He was starting to wonder what was happening to all of the walkers. There didn't seem to be as many as there used to be. He wondered if it was just his imagination.

"You guys notice an absence of walkers?" Glenn whispered as they headed back up front.

"I was jus' thinkin' that same thing." Daryl commented.

"I've gotten so used to them, that it's kind of eerie not seeing them." Tyreese said.

They made it back to the gate and Daryl sent Glenn and Tyreese back for their vehicle, figuring it would be easier to load it without having to deal with the ducks for the moment. They backed the vehicle inside and set to work.

...

They finally stacked the last piece of lumber and Daryl wiped at the sweat on his brow. They had the truck loaded to capacity with various pieces of lumber and he briefly wondered if they should add some onto the other truck as well. There was plenty around, and surely they would be able to use it somewhere. He leaned against the truck to take a moment and catch his breath when he spotted a sporting goods store. Curiosity piqued, he turned to the others.

"I'm gonna check out this sporting goods store cross tha street for some fishin' poles." He said.

Glenn nodded. "I think we'll put a few more pieces of lumber into the other truck and then break for some lunch."

Daryl set off across the street and then stopped when he heard the faint footsteps behind him. He turned around and frowned at Gretta. "No." He said.

"I'm comin' an' you can't stop me." She brushed past him and he swore as he jogged to catch back up.

"Yer a thorn in my ass ya know that?" He said gruffly.

"Hmph." She replied.

Daryl hesitated in front of the store and they both peered through the dusty windows to try and see inside. He saw one walker behind the counter that appeared to be wearing a uniform. He figured it was probably someone who had worked there. He pulled on the door and it squeaked for a second before opening all the way up. Gretta followed close behind him as he made his way over to the walker. He stopped to adjust his bow and felt her run dead into his back.

"Sorry!" She whispered.

Daryl shook his head and watched as the walker began to head their way, drawn to the new noises in hopes of finding a meal. Daryl lifted his bow and fired a single shot. The walker crumpled and he went and yanked the bolt out of its head. He wiped it on his pants and Gretta grimaced.

"Ya gettin' soft on me?" Daryl smirked.

She stuck her nose up and walked past him without replying. He scanned the small store for more threats but just like the lumber yard it was quiet. He turned down another aisle and made his way to the fishing poles. He studied them and grabbed up four of the best looking ones and set them up front by the door. Then he went back down the aisles looking for anything else they could use. He grabbed up some rope, a bucket, backpacks, and various other items. He looked across the top of the aisles every few minutes to make sure he could see Gretta's head as she wandered the aisles. He made his way back to the front and stopped at a glass display case. The case had numerous knives displayed and his eyes landed on a rather wicked looking one that looked to be smaller than the rest. Glancing behind him for Gretta once more, he walked behind the case and pulled the knife out. He stuck it in his pocket and then grabbed the rest to put in the backpack for the truck.

He turned to go and see about Gretta when something small caught his eye. Bending to pick it up, he ran his fingers over it and then decided to pocket it too. When he turned he heard Gretta shout and then her head disappeared from his view. His heart pounding, he jumped over the counter and raised his bow as he headed towards where he had seen her drop. He saw her at the end of one of the aisles, a walker holding onto her leg as she tried to reach for her knife that had apparently fallen from her reach. The walker was missing the lower half of its body and Daryl didn't hesitate to put an arrow in its skull. The grip it had against her ankle loosened and she kicked it with her boots before scurrying away to grab her knife. Daryl studied her for a few moments. He had never known her to be so jumpy. She had been on her own for so long, surely she should have been able to take care of one walker.

His thoughts were interrupted as she grabbed up the few items she had selected and a backpack that seemed to be overflowing. She wouldn't look at him, but he caught a glimpse of her red face as she brushed past him. He chose to remain quiet as they gathered up the pile of supplies he had stacked by the door. He kept glancing at her. He sighed. His brother had been right. The female species was complicated.

"Ya can stop starin' at me. I'm fine. Jus' slipped is all." She muttered.

They exited the store and walked across the street. The guys were just finishing stacking another load of lumber. Tyreese reached inside the truck and grabbed the lunch bag that Beth had packed and passed it around. Everyone was silent as they chewed on the meager offerings and drank down their water. Daryl was tired. He was ready to go back and see Beth. He missed her kisses and he wondered if she was missing him too. He smirked to himself as he thought about how Merle would tease him mercilessly if he could see him now. He finished off his food and tossed the trash back in the bag.

"Are we ready to head back?" Mike asked.

"Reckon' so, if everyone else is done." Daryl said.

The others nodded as they finished up their food and water. "Guess it's back to the ducks." Mike said.

"At least you aren't trying to drive with them squawking in your ear. Maybe we should change trucks Dixon." Tyreese grinned.

Daryl scoffed. "We done got our stuff in 'ere. Too late."

Mike snorted. "What stuff? It's the apocalypse, anything you lose, you can just pick up somewhere else."

Glenn climbed into the back of the truck. "Suck it up and let's go get some fish!" He grinned.

They all climbed back into their vehicles and headed back down the way they had come. Glenn was making notes on his map to show where they had traveled and Gretta was once again quiet in her seat next to him. He wondered what was going on with her, but he was afraid to ask.

Finally, they arrived back at the pond and they all exited the vehicles while Daryl and Tyreese got the poles ready. They settled down with their poles to wait.

"How long are we going to do this? We need to head back soon." Glenn said.

"Shh! You'll scare all tha fish away. Damn! Don't ya know nothin'?" Gretta snapped. Three pairs of eyes all turned to look at her and she grabbed her pole and marched to the other side of the pond.

"What the hell was that?" Glenn whispered.

Tyreese snickered. "You just got put in your place, I do believe."

...

One hour later, they had half a bucket of fish and Daryl was feeling pretty good about things. He figured that the fish they had caught should get them started and pretty soon they might have a fully stocked pond. It would be great to catch a few fish for dinner every now and again.

They were on their way back to base and overall the day had went pretty well. Except for Gretta's attitude, which still baffled Daryl. No one had said anything to her since, and she hadn't spoken either. They pulled up to the gate and Carl and Jacob let them in. As soon as Daryl had the truck in park, Gretta was out and stalking away. He shook his head and exited the vehicle only to feel small arms circle his waist. Beth grinned up at him and he couldn't help but smile in return.

"Hey Angel." He drawled.

She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I believe we have a date."

"I reckon' we do indeed."

She looked around at the others who were crowded around Tyreese and Mike's truck. "What's going on?"

Daryl chuckled. "Come meet the newest members of tha group."

She gave him a questioning look as they walked over and then she smiled. "Ducks?"

Daryl nodded. "Yep."

"Hellions is more like it." Mike said.

The others had gathered around to look at the two ducks who were sitting in the driver's seat as calm as could be. Judith squealed from Carol's arms as she saw the ducks and everyone smiled. Rick walked over to Daryl.

"Ducks, huh? I'm impressed." Rick said.

"Fish too. Came up on a pond. Gonna dig us a little one 'ere and see 'bout breedin' us some fish an' ducks." Daryl said.

Rick raised his brows. "Now I'm jealous. How come you always find the good stuff?" He smiled. Daryl shrugged.

"We can put the ducks in the shed until we can get some kind of pen built for them." Carol suggested. Judith reached out her arms towards Rick who seemed startled, but then picked her up with a small smile.

"You did good Daryl! We got us a male and a female!" Maggie exclaimed as she checked over the ducks that Glenn had picked up for her.

"I reckon' that means they get ta stay since they can serve a purpose now." Daryl said.

"You were going to kill them?" Beth asked.

"Well they wouldn't have done us any good if they couldn't breed." He shrugged. "Com'ere, got somethin' for ya." He grabbed her arm and pulled her until they were out of sight of the others. He was nervous. He wasn't any good at picking out gifts but he had wanted to get it for her as soon as he had found it. His hands shook slightly as he pulled it out of his pocket. He opened her hand and laid it on her palm. She was silent for so long as she stared at it that he began to shift uncomfortably.

He cleared his throat. "It's uh, a compass with some angel wings on it." He clarified.

She nodded and then looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Thank you." She whispered. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head down for a passionate kiss. The taste of her on his tongue made his head spin and he dragged the kiss out for as long as possible. When they finally pulled away, they were both breathing heavily. He grabbed her hand.

"Come on. They probably lookin' for us." He said.

She paused. "Daryl?" He looked down at her and she raised up on her toes to whisper in his ear. "Let's not take too long. I want to thank you properly." She ran a finger down his shirt and he swallowed hard. He muttered a curse as he pulled her along behind him and she chuckled softly in the fading light of the day.


	54. Chapter 54

****AN: Well, this went in a slightly different direction than I had anticipated so I hope you all enjoy it! Oh, and I know next to nothing about constructing ponds, so once again I referred to good old Google for reference. So if anything seems strange to you, just go along with it and we'll blame Google, OK? LOL Since this one is done so early, I _might _get out another chapter for one of my other fics as well. We'll see how it goes! Hope you all enjoy! Thanks for all of your kind reviews! We are rockin' these 54 chapters! Woot! Woot! ;)**

**...**

Beth stretched out lazily next to Daryl in their bed. _Their bed._ How weird it was that she now thought of it as theirs. Technically it was, they hadn't used Daryl's room in a long time and he had pretty much all of his stuff in the room with hers. She snuggled into him and smiled as she remembered last night. She had expressed her thanks for his gift many times and each time had been better than the last. They had most definitely put a dent into Daryl's impressive stash of condoms. She chuckled to herself.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout Angel?" His rough voice momentarily startled her and she leaned back to look into his eyes.

"Just thinking about last night." She grinned wickedly.

He smiled back at her. "Yeah? Enjoy yerself didja?" He asked.

She nodded. "Oh yeah."

He stretched and then shifted so that his body covered hers. He bent down to nuzzle her neck and she squealed as his facial hair tickled her. "Daryl!"

"This feels familiar." He replied teasingly and she snorted.

A sharp pounding on the door had him tensing up almost immediately. It was followed by a loud voice. "This ain't the sexual Olympics you two! We got stuff to do today!" Gabby's voice carried through the door.

"When did she become such a pain in my ass?" Daryl asked her. Beth smiled and gave him a quick kiss.

"I heard that." Gabby said.

Daryl threw a pillow at the door. "Go away! We takin' a sick day!" He yelled.

They heard Gabby snort. "Get your ass in gear Dixon! I know how to pick a lock and neither of you have anything I haven't seen before." They heard her footsteps as she walked away.

"Can I shoot 'er with my bow?" He grumbled.

Beth laughed at Daryl's gruff expression. "Come on, let's get dressed. I want to see about those ducks!"

….

The base was a flurry of activity as they tried to determine where to start first. Rick had figured the most important matter was getting a small pond of sorts dug for the ducks and the fish to live in. The men had walked over to an unused section of land near the corner of one of the buildings. Tyreese was carrying a load of shovels and Mike was busy trying to make markers for how wide to dig.

Everyone was participating except for Judith, who was playing happily in her portable playpen that they moved around from place to place.

"Did anyone check on them ducks? I ain't want them tearin' up that shed. I use that place a lot." Daryl said.

"I checked on them just a little while ago. They're just walking around. They haven't hurt anything." Carl replied.

Daryl nodded. He was ready to get this pond built and get them in it, so they didn't have to worry about them anymore. The sooner the better for the fish as well. It wasn't good for them to stay in the bucket they had them in for an extended period of time.

Everyone picked up a shovel and began digging. The sun was making its slow climb up into the sky and the day was quickly warming up. It was going to be another hot one. Daryl could already feel the sweat pooling on his forehead and his back.

"This is where a backhoe would come in handy." Rick remarked.

"It would definitely be a lot quicker." Glenn added.

"How 'bouts we all be quiet an' jus' dig? Pass a lot faster if we ain't flappin' our jaws." Daryl grumbled.

"Poor baby! Didn't you get enough sex last night?" Gabby teased. Daryl flipped her the finger and everyone tried to hold back their chuckles.

"Can we get on with this now?" Gretta grumbled as she rolled her eyes. She was helping the boys haul dirt and had overheard the conversation.

Soon, they were starting to get somewhere and Daryl could see progress. The women were digging around the sides while the men were in the middle hollowing it out. Gretta and the younger boys were hauling the dirt away to another spot in case it was needed for another project. It was really starting to come together, so much so that aside from a break for hydration, everyone worked right through lunch. Shortly after, they figured they had a good sized pond going that seemed to get a lot of shade from the neighboring buildings. It wasn't big enough to swim in, but it was big enough to house the ducks and the few fish that they had.

The women and boys were sent to fetch water while the men remained to smooth out the dirt and finished removing loose piles. The ladies took turns dumping water into the pond while Rick, Glenn, and Daryl set to work putting the fence around the sides. Tyreese and Mike were in charge of making the posts that would hold the fence wire up. It was hard work, and they were all tired and sweaty, but eventually they were finished and they all stepped back a moment to just admire their hard work. They had left enough ground between the fence and pond so that the ducks could walk or sit around the edge. Tyreese and Mike had even managed to contruct a door that they could open and shut with a latch made out of wood and fence wire. Rick sent the boys to retrieve the ducks and the fish.

They were gone for quite some time and Daryl wondered if he should go help them. "Ya think they alright?" He asked.

"I'm sure they will be along in a minute." Rick replied. The ladies had retired to the showers to clean up before dinner and the men were left lazing around their new pond.

Finally Daryl heard the squawking and glanced up to see the boys carrying the ducks over, with Kyle coming behind them with the bucket of fish.

"We lost two fish." Kyle explained as they walked up. Daryl looked into the bucket and sure enough two fish were floating dead on top. He tested the water with his finger.

"It's too warm ta keep 'em. Don't know how long they been dead. Jus' gotta throw 'em out I reckon'." He said.

"I'll do it." Kyle said. He grabbed the two fish and took off to dispose of them across the fence. Rick helped the boys get the door open to put the ducks inside. They flapped their feathers frantically for a few minutes before finally settling down. They waited and then the ducks finally stepped into the water to swim around. Rick opened the door again and Daryl dumped the fish into the pond. They were all dead tired and desperately wanting showers.

Carol came around the corner with Michonne and surveyed the pond with fascinated eyes. "That looks great!" She said. Michonne nodded in agreement. "We're done with our showers if you men want to go now." Carol said.

"Thank God." Glenn sighed and headed off to the showers. Carol turned to swat at him but he sidestepped her with a laugh.

...

Beth watched as the men exited the showers. She was waiting on Daryl but so far everyone that exited had been anyone _but_ Daryl. Finally, she grew tired of waiting and was pretty sure that everyone had exited but him so she opened the door and poked her head in.

"Daryl?" She called out.

She didn't get an answer so she went in farther. She could hear the shower going, but she was not prepared for the image that greeted her when she peeked around the corner. Daryl was leaning with his forehead against the wall not moving. She didn't see anyone else around and took a moment to appreciate the glorious view of his butt. She moved closer until she was just outside of his stall.

"Daryl?" She called softly. He started and then jerked his head up. He looked around and then seemed to remember where he was. She snickered. "Were you asleep?"

He scoffed. "No. Jus' restin' my eyes is all."

She raised a brow. "Mhm."

His hand snaked out and he grabbed her before she could think to move backwards. Squealing at the cold water soaking through her clothes, she shivered as his hands grazed over her nipples that were now showing through her shirt. She tilted her head back and his lips closed over her neck to nip at the tender flesh. He tugged on the bottom of her shirt and she raised her arms obediently for him to pull it off. Immediately he pushed her bra away and his mouth closed over her nipple to suck greedily. She moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck. She could feel his arousal prodding her through her shorts and she reached down to unsnap them. She pushed them down and he pushed his finger inside of her. They both groaned at the sensations running through them.

"Daryl." She moaned.

He growled something against her neck and she tried to wrap her legs around him. He paused. "I ain't got no condoms. We gonna have ta wait." He mumbled.

Beth sighed with frustration. She came to a decision. "I don't want to wait. I want you to come inside me Daryl."

His eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that scared her. She wasn't sure how he would respond to her basically telling him that she wanted a baby. She felt him take a deep breath and he pressed his forehead against hers. "Beth." He whispered softly.

She pressed her lips to his and kissed him until he responded hungrily. Daryl groaned and lifted her legs to thrust into her swiftly. She cried out at the sensations that rolled through her. They clung to each other as the cold water beat down over their slick bodies. He pressed her back against the wall and buried his face into her neck. She leaned her head back with her eyes closed as she felt the buildings of an orgasm. His lips briefly pressed a kiss to her neck and she began to convulse beneath him as the pleasure throbbed within her. Daryl followed suit seconds later and he groaned deep in his throat as he poured his seed inside of her. They slid down the wall together, neither of them saying anything for a few long minutes. They were both breathing heavy and she wondered what he was thinking.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" She asked.

Daryl snorted against her skin where his face still lay. "If I weren't, it would be too late now, wouldn't it?" He mumbled.

"I'm serious Daryl."

He sighed and leaned his head up against the wall. "Ain't you tha one who jus' begged me ta come inside ya?"

She grabbed his hand and threaded her fingers through his. "You think we can do this then?"

His eyes met hers. "You're askin' me now? I thought ya had thought this through already?"

"Well, no. It was kind of a spur of the moment thing. I mean, I have thought about it, but not like this."

Daryl pulled his hand from hers. He stood up and she could tell by the way he stood that he was angry. "Ya mean ya jus' did this without even thinkin' 'bout it? Ya do know there's risks right? Damn it Beth, there's a lot ta think 'bout!" He said as he jerked his clothes on.

She wasn't sure how to respond. Daryl had never been angry at her like this before. She wasn't even sure he had e_ver_ really been angry with her at all before. "Does that mean you've thought about it?" She tried to grab his arm but he brushed her off. "Daryl, I have thought about it. I know the risks. I don't understand why you're upset with me now. Talk to me." She pleaded as he yanked on his boots.

His face was a blank mask as he stood up. "I need some space. Got a lot ta think 'bout." With that being said, he turned around and left her standing there in the showers all alone.

...

****AN: So, what do you think? Should I let Beth get pregnant, or shall we have it turn out as nothing? Cast your votes, I'd love to hear your input! ;)**


	55. Chapter 55

****AN: Wow! I didn't expect to get so many votes on the pregnancy issue! I'm pretty sure it was a yes across the board! Thank you all for voting in! I'm truly amazed at the reaction! LOL...Well, the possibility is there now so we'll see what happens! I think it could be very interesting for Beth/Daryl and the group as a whole. This chapter is more of a filler chapter. Just giving you all some insight on what's going on with them as they process this possibility. There is a bit at the end from Gretta's POV so I hope you enjoy! ;)**

**...**

Daryl was furious. He wanted to hit something. He wandered around the base in some kind of stupor thinking about Beth and what would happen should she become pregnant. He realized that on some level it had been wrong of him to storm off and leave her in the showers, but he just couldn't believe that she hadn't put more thought in it than that. He had thought about it a couple of times, but he had dismissed the idea as crazy considering the current state of the world. He would _never_ admit to anyone that Daryl Dixon had thought about babies once or twice.

The hardest part was trying to figure out if she had actually wanted a kid or if she had just said it in the heat of the moment. He shook his head and then laughed sarcastically to himself. This could end badly if she got pregnant. She could end up like Lori. He didn't think he could handle that. Not to mention the fact that he didn't know what the hell he was doing when it came to kids. _What kind of dad would he be? Like Rick?_

He sighed as he stalked across the base in search of something to take out his frustrations on. Unfortunately, they hadn't started on any other projects yet so he couldn't work on that. He headed towards the shed.

"What's up Dixon? You look like someone peed in your oatmeal." Gabby said from behind him.

Daryl whirled around. "Why don't you go an' bother someone else? I'm not in the fuckin' mood." He snapped.

Gabby raised a brow. He heard her follow along behind him as he veered away from the shed and headed to the fences instead. Maybe he could kill some walkers and it would help him feel better. He stopped at the fence and heard her stop a few paces behind him.

"Yer a real pain in tha ass, ya know?" He growled as he turned around.

Shes shrugged. "One of my many talents. Want to tell me what's got you so stirred up?" She asked.

"No." Daryl said firmly. He turned back around to search out a walker and spotted one further down the fence.

"I'm a good listener. Maybe I can help." She suggested.

"Congratulations, but _no_." He put down his bow and decided that he wanted to take this one out with his knife.

"Well, if you change your mind, I'll be around," She paused. "You really should talk about it though. It does help. Whatever you're going through, it's not good to hold it inside." She stood there a moment longer and he waited until he heard the sound of her disappearing footsteps.

He eyed the walker with disgust for a few moments and then plunged his knife into its head. The knife sunk in the rotted flesh all the way to the hilt and he twisted it before yanking it back out again.

"Don't need ta talk 'bout my feelin's. That's girly shit. This is workin' jus' fine." He muttered to himself. He stopped in front of another walker and stabbed it in the eye. He was feeling better already.

"_Just_," He stabbed it again. "_Fine_."

...

Beth was at a loss at what to do. Daryl had just stormed away and she had no idea if she should follow him or give him space. He hadn't ever been mad at her like that. He had been irritated plenty of times, but never directly mad at her like he had been earlier. She decided that maybe it was best to leave him be for awhile.

She knew it was dinner time, but she couldn't bring herself to enter the cafeteria. She didn't think she could sit through a meal with everyone and pretend nothing was going on. What little appetite she had had, was long gone anyway. She sat down on the bench outside and stared at the ground. Footsteps came to a stop near her and she glanced up into the face of Heather.

"Hey, are you okay Beth?" She asked with a look of concern on her face.

Beth shook her head. "No."

Heather looked momentarily alarmed and her eyes swept over Beth checking for injuries. "Are you sick?" She finally asked.

Beth laughed softly. "No. That's not it."

Heather sat down next to her in silence. Beth knew she was waiting her out, but she didn't know what to tell her. She wanted to talk to somebody, but the person she really wanted to talk to was mad at her.

"You're not hungry?" Heather finally asked.

"I could be pregnant." Beth blurted.

Heather grew silent again and sneaked a peek at her face but found it carefully blank. "Okay. Why don't you start at the beginning?" She suggested.

Beth sighed. "I don't actually know that yet. Daryl and I had unprotected sex. Now he's mad at me because he thinks I didn't think it through I suppose."

"Oh." Heather paused as the information sunk in a little. "_Did_ you think it through?

Beth's blushed slightly. "Sort of. I mean, I've thought about it before. I'm not opposed to it. I would love to have a family with Daryl. I love him."

Heather smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "Then just give him time. I don't know Daryl as well as some of the rest of you but he seems like the type to not take change very well. Maybe he just needs time to come to terms with it."

Beth nodded. "Do you know anything about delivering babies?"

Heather drew in a deep breath and then let it out. "My experience there is very limited. I've assisted a birth once, but I didn't do too much. I was only a nurse's assistant. Hershel taught me more than I think I ever learned in school, but he never got around to births."

Beth was getting more nervous now. She knew that Carol didn't know much about births either. She had been supposed to help Lori with hers, but Maggie had ended up having to do the cut because of a herd of walkers that had invaded the prison. She shuddered to think of something like that happening to her. She tried to take deep calming breaths. She didn't even know if she _was_ pregnant. It had only been _one_ time. She knew that some people tried numerous times before becoming pregnant.

Heather squeezed her shoulder. "When is your period due?"

Beth scrunched up her face as she tried to calculate. "About a week I think."

Heather nodded. "Okay, we'll give it two weeks. If you haven't gotten your period by then, come and see me. I think we have some tests in the infirmary. We'll do a test and see what happens. Until then, don't worry yourself over it okay? And give Daryl some time, I'm sure he will come around."

Beth smiled at her gratefully. She knew she would still worry regardless though. It was especially worse because Daryl had pulled away from her. She knew that Heather was right, and he just needed time, but she still couldn't help the worry that gnawed at her.

...

Gretta searched the base for Beth. She needed to talk to her about something important, but she didn't want anyone else knowing about it. She cut through the bushes and spotted her sitting on one of the benches talking to Heather. Not meaning to eavesdrop, she approached them but stopped short when she caught part of the conversation.

_Beth was pregnant?_

Gretta swallowed hard and retreated quickly back the way she had come. She couldn't believe what she had just overheard. She wondered if the rest of the group knew? Probably not, judging by the look on Beth's face. Daryl was probably going to freak out, she figured. She didn't see him handling anything like that very well. She sighed as she trailed along. She still needed to talk to _someone_ about her dilemma. She was so focused on her jumbled thoughts that she didn't see Gabby until she had almost run dead into her.

She quickly sidestepped to avoid a collision. "Sorry." She mumbled distractedly.

"That's okay," Gabby smiled then paused as she looked at Gretta's expression. "Is everything okay?"

Gretta paused. Gabby was a female and she wasn't very old so maybe she could help her. She hoped Gabby could keep a secret. She didn't seem the type to go blurting out everything about people like some of the others did. She really didn't know how to go about starting the conversation. Things like this made her _very_ uncomfortable, but she didn't have a lot of choice in the matter.

Gretta drew in a deep breath. Might as well just blurt it all out. "I started my period. I know absolutely nothin' 'bout it an' I been bitin' at everybody! I dunno why either. Jus' comes an' goes. I ain't one ta get emotional neither, but this crap's got me all outta whack. I need ta know how long it's gonna last because I can't keep goin' like this!" Gretta wasn't sure why she was getting hysterical, but the more she talked, the more she realized she had needed to let that out. She had been keeping it all bottled up since the morning of the run. She hadn't meant to snap at Daryl, but she had and not she felt bad about it. It hadn't been his fault. He must be thinking she was crazy by now.

Gabby took a minute to take in everything that Gretta had just told her and then she smiled at her. She draped an arm across her shoulders and began to walk with her away from all of the buildings. "What you're feeling is perfectly natural. You're going to feel all sorts of emotions as your body goes through these changes. It's not too bad once you get used to it, and it usually only lasts anywhere from three to five days. Just hang in there, you'll be back to your old self in no time. You're just becoming a woman, and your body is going to start going through lots of changes. How old are you?"

Gretta thought about that. "Twelve. I think."

Gabby nodded. "I think that's about right. Welcome to womanhood."

Gretta groaned. "Great. Hormones an' emotions. One big ole' ball of fun." Gretta grumbled.

****AN: Aww, poor Gretta is finally becoming a little woman! I wonder how that is going to affect her now? I'm stoked to explore and find out! I really _adore_ Gretta! Thanks for reading!**


	56. Chapter 56

****AN: Well apparently the muse is with me for this fic today! ***_Warning***_ Brief scene of femslash in this chapter, so if that bothers you, you may want to skip the second scene. *** I appreciate all of the wonderful reviews I received earlier about this fic and it makes me so happy that everyone is still enjoying it! I'm fixing to drift to bed so I'll bid you all goodnight and another thanks! Hope you enjoy! Let me know your thoughts! ;)**

**...**

The sun was setting over the horizon and Daryl knew he would have to go in soon. He just didn't know if he was prepared to face Beth and her questions. He had taken care of all of the walkers around the fence since he had walked it about four times now. He hadn't gone to dinner, and no one had come to see about him. He could only assume either Beth or Gabby had mentioned where he was.

He finished his last lap and headed over to the building where their room was. He paused at the stairs with his hand on the outer door. He stood there for a few moments but couldn't bring himself to go inside. He really didn't want to talk about it right now. He had spent all evening thinking about it constantly and he just wasn't ready to deal with it. This was the first time they had ever had anything close to a fight. He knew he was treading in uncharted territory as well, which was another reason he hesitated.

He dropped his hand from the door and backed away to sit on the steps. He reached into his pocket and grabbed his cigarettes. He lit one and took a long drag before exhaling deeply. He didn't know what to do.

"Hard night?" Rick's voice spoke up from just to his left. Daryl whipped his head around and squinted into the darkness.

"Shit man, scared tha hell outta me." He said.

Rick chuckled. "That's a first. I didn't know you were capable of being scared."

Daryl scowled. "Screw you." He was smiling though and enjoying their playful banter. "Ain't ya got some place ya need ta be? Like off screwin' Carol or somethin'?"

Rick crossed in front of him and sat on the steps next to him, leaning back onto his elbows. "Does everybody know about that?" He asked.

Daryl snickered. "Prob'ly. Can't keep no secrets round here. Like a damn soap opera or some shit. Sides, if I gotta get grief 'bout my personal business, then I reckon' you do too."

Rick smiled. "Duly noted. So what are you doing out here instead of in there?" He jerked his head towards the building behind him.

"We had a fight." Daryl said.

Rick leaned forward slightly. "Oh? Trouble in paradise?"

"Yep. An' no I don't feel like sharin' nor talkin' bout my feelin's or some shit like that neither." He grumbled.

"Good. I don't want to hear about your feelings."

Daryl smiled despite his mood. "If ya tryin' ta use some kinda psychology crap on me, it ain't gonna work."

Rick shifted next to him. "Good thing I don't have a degree in psychology."

Daryl smirked. "Lotta good it would do ya. Although, ya could have lots ta do round here. We got lotsa people with issues."

Rick laughed. "That we do, don't we? It's amazing, isn't it?" Daryl glanced over at him in curiosity. "Before all this happened, we couldn't live without things like that. Cell phones, television, psychologists...fast food. Now here we are, surviving just fine without them."

Daryl thought about that for a moment. It was true in a lot of ways. He had never been real big on fast food though, and he had never had to see a psychologist for anything. Come to think of it, he hadn't had much use for television either.

"I don't miss none o' that stuff. Know what I miss?" Daryl asked.

"What?"

"I miss bein' able to go huntin' for animals an' not havin' ta worry 'bout gettin' bit by walkers. I miss bein' able ta go anywhere without havin' ta worry."

Rick nodded. "Me too," He sighed. "Well I guess I'm going to call it a night. We're starting early on the barracks tomorrow to see about that sleeping situation. You need a place to crash?" Daryl shook his head. He didn't want to be cooped up inside without Beth. He figured he would find a tree to lay down underneath and stare at the sky for a bit. "Alright then, see you in the morning." Rick gave a little wave and walked off leaving Daryl alone with his thoughts.

...

Gabby lay nestled next to Michonne and tried to sleep but couldn't. She wasn't used to the lack of noise coming from Daryl and Beth's room. She knew something was wrong with the couple, but she didn't know what. She had also seen a very sullen looking Beth walking into her room alone earlier and she hadn't heard Daryl come through yet. It was very odd. Even though she joked about how loud they were sometimes, it really didn't bother her. She had gotten used to the noise. Oddly enough, it brought her some comfort to know that there were others nearby. She really couldn't hear them all that well anyway, most of what she said had been teasing just to get under Daryl's skin.

"Quit worrying. They'll work it out." Michonne said from next to her.

Gabby turned to look at her, but of course she couldn't see anything in the dark. "I hope so."

"You are such a romantic at heart, you know that? If only people knew what you were really like..." Michonne teased.

Gabby swatted at her playfully. She sighed. "I guess I am a romantic. Daryl was just really upset over something earlier, but he wouldn't let me help him."

"And this surprises you because?" Michonne asked.

"I guess it doesn't." She grumbled.

Michonne shifted and pulled her close. She tangled a leg through hers and trailed a hand down Gabby's arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. Gabby shivered and turned to seek out Michonne's lips in the dark. The intensity quickly escalating between them, Gabby snaked a hand under Michonne's shirt to cup her breast. Michonne moaned into her mouth and her own hand dipped below the waistband of Gabby's sweatpants. It was Gabby's turn to moan as Michonne's hand worked its way underneath her underwear and she slipped a finger inside of her.

"_Mi_," she breathed. She sometimes called Michonne _Mi_ for short when they were behind closed doors. It was quicker than saying her whole name.

Michonne lifted herself onto all fours, all the while not breaking contact with Gabby. Gabby's hands pushed Michonne's shirt up and her mouth sought out a nipple. She drew it into her mouth while Michonne remained poised over her, one hand by Gabby's head holding herself up. Gabby felt herself nearing her orgasm and pulled Michonne down for a searing kiss. A few seconds later she spiraled into oblivion as her body pulsed beneath Michonne's hand. Michonne slowly withdrew from her and Gabby flipped her over.

"My turn," she whispered.

...

When Beth awoke the next morning, she realized that Daryl had never come to their room. It was the first time in a long time that she had slept a night without him. She hadn't meant to actually fall asleep. She had been trying to stay awake and wait up for him, but she hadn't made it. She lay there now, hugging his pillow and tried to figure out what she should do about the situation. The sun was already out and rising, and she wasn't sure if she had overslept or not. She knew they were supposed to begin renovations of the barracks today so she supposed she should get up, but she just didn't feel motivated at all. She missed Daryl.

She sat up on the edge of the bed and to her surprise the door opened and Daryl walked in. He stopped short as he saw her sitting on the edge of the bed. She was still hugging his pillow, but she let it go and placed it back onto the bed at his entrance. His eyes briefly skirted to it and then back to her. He cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly.

"I ain't know you was in here still." He muttered.

Her heart dropped at that statement. So he must not have been looking for her then. "I think I overslept." She replied softly.

He looked down at the floor, the window, and then to the ceiling. He looked everwhere but at her. "I uh, came ta get a fresh shirt. I'll be outta your hair in a minute." He said quickly.

She watched as he crossed to where he kept his clothes in the corner and dug through them before finally plucking out another tank. He took off his old one and threw it into another corner. She crossed over to him and placed a hand onto his bare back before he slipped the fresh one over his head. He stiffened, but tugged the shirt on anyway, letting it fall over her hand.

"Daryl. Can we talk?" She asked quietly. She was hurting and she knew it showed in her voice. There was no way for her to disguise it though.

He turned around after several long seconds. "Ain't got time. Gotta be out there helpin' tha men set up for renovations." With that being said, he spared her one quick glance and then exited the room.

She stood there for several minutes looking at the closed door, hoping that maybe he would open it and come back in again. She had just been brushed off by Daryl. He wouldn't even _look_ at her.

_What had she done?_


	57. Chapter 57

Daryl was enjoying the renovations today. He wasn't the handiest at carpenter work, but he thought he was doing alright considering. He had a knack for pounding in the nails that much was for sure. Every nail he hammered made him feel marginally better. He wondered why he hadn't ever tried to do carpenter work before. It was a great stress reliever. He was feeling much better since this morning.

He hadn't expected Beth to be in the room still when he had entered. In fact, he had waited around until he was sure it was past the time she usually left in the morning. He still had some issues he was working on and he just felt like he couldn't handle it right now. He hated the expression on her face this morning, and he hated himself even more for putting it there, but he just needed time. He almost laughed out loud at the thought. Here they were in the middle of the zombie apocalypse and he was needing time. They weren't even promised tomorrow.

He sighed and paused to wipe the sweat that was pooling on his forehead with the hem of his shirt. Will and Kyle were hauling in lumber as Carl and Jacob stood nearby handing out tools and water as needed. The women were excused from the task because they didn't know anything about carpentry and there really wasn't any room for them around all of the materials they had scattered about anyhow.

His thoughts drifted to Beth and he wondered what she was doing. He had tried to force himself to think about other things, but his thoughts kept coming full circle back to her. It was frustrating and he took that as a sign that he needed a break. He sat down on an overturned bucket and grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby table. It was hot and stuffy inside the building, and having the windows open didn't seem to help. He really just wanted everything to go back to the way it was between him and Beth. Unfortunately, he knew it wasn't going to be that easy.

...

Beth had finished helping Maggie go through their supplies to see what they might be low on and now she had nothing to do. Their garden had already been tended to and they were very proud of the fact that they had tiny green sprouts starting to poke up through the dirt. There were more than enough men working on the project to turn the barracks into makeshift rooms so she was left with time to fill.

She decided to pay a visit to Heather who was at the guard shack keeping watch. There really wasn't a whole lot to watch for anymore. They rarely saw many walkers and the ones they did see never proved to be much of a threat. Things had been really peaceful as far as that was concerned. As she passed by the barracks, she waved to Carl and caught a glimpse of Daryl as he talked with Rick about something while walking back into the building. He didn't see her so she stopped a moment to gaze longingly at him. She was talking to him _today_. No matter what, they were getting this mess straightened out even if it took all night.

Heather waved at her as she approached the gate. She was lounging by the outside wall of the guard shack, looking pretty bored from Beth's perspective. "Nothing much going on today, huh?" Beth asked.

Heather shook her head. "A couple of walkers here and there. Nothing threatening though. Not that I'm complaining." She smiled.

Beth leaned against the wall next to her where she was out of the direct sun. "Not much happening inside either. We've done as much as we can until the guy's get their project finished. There's so many of them in there, it's no use of us trying to help. We would just get in the way."

Heather nodded. "Yeah. How are things with you and Daryl? Have you worked it out yet?"

Beth sighed and shook her head. "No, but I plan on confronting him later this evening. We need to talk this out. I know he doesn't want to talk about it right now, but he's going to. I'm not giving him a choice." She said firmly. She missed him terribly and sleeping alone had been the hardest thing she had done in a while. She still didn't know where he had spent the night.

"I'm sure you'll work it out. He's just got to come to terms with everything." Heather commented.

"I hope you're right."

They both glanced up as Will walked over to them. "I'm supposed to relieve you on guard duty." He said to Heather.

Heather looked at him with a confused expression. "I thought you were helping the men?"

Will blushed and looked down at his feet. "I was. Daryl kicked me out. I was just trying to help, but I'm not very good at it. He must be in a mood today. He's been a little grumpy. Anyways, he sent me out here."

Beth and Heather exchanged glances. "You better talk to him soon before he starts shooting people with arrows Beth." Heather said teasingly.

Beth cracked a smile at the thought of Daryl doing just that. Ironically, she _could _see him doing just that. "I know." She rubbed at her temples, hoping to relieve her stress a little. They both turned to say goodbye to Will when a loud noise began going off across the street. They rushed to the fence to see the cause. Beth couldn't see anything but a few walkers in the distance. There were a couple standing off to the side and she searched the area for the source of the noise. She spotted a walker standing next to a really nice car and she knew then that the walker must have bumped into it, setting off the alarm.

"It's a car alarm. We've got to shut it off!" Beth cried. Will fumbled with the lock on the gate and finally was able to get it open. Beth tried to dart past him, but he gripped her arm.

"What are you doing? You can't go out there!" He shouted.

"Of course I can. Neither of you have lots of experience. I'll be right back." Beth insisted.

Will shook his head. "No, I'm coming with you. If Daryl finds out I let you out alone, I'm as good as dead anyway."

"Go! I'll watch the gate!" Heather shouted.

Beth took off out of the gate with Will on her heels. They stopped to take out two walkers and then Beth made a run for the car. She remembered seeing Glenn do something to the battery once on a car and she hoped she could figure out how to make it stop.

"Pop the hood!" Beth yelled at Will. He nodded and tried to open the car door but it was locked. He looked back at her and then on the ground for something to use to break the window. "Use your knife! Hurry!" Beth shouted. He picked up his knife and began beating at the window until it gave away. He slipped behind the wheel and began fumbling for the release button for the hood. It seemed like it was taking forever but she knew it had really only been a minute or two. Pretty soon they would have every stray walker within fifty miles headed their direction. As soon as he pulled it, Beth yanked up the hood and began searching for the battery. Neither of them noticed the walker that stumbled out from behind the car. Beth began grabbing wires and pulling them from the battery until finally the noise stopped. She flashed a relieved grin over the hood at Will just in time to see the walker grab him and start chewing on his flesh. There had been no time to react or warn him. Will began screaming and Beth fought back tears for the boy. She knew she needed to run, but her feet were suddenly stuck to the pavement. All she could do was stand there and stare in shock. She could vaguely hear Heather yelling something from back at the gate and she turned around. Heather was pointing and yelling at something somewhere behind Beth. Finally Beth turned and her face went pale. A very large herd was making it's way over towards the car and the base, obviously spurred on by all of the commotion. It was exactly what she had feared.

Beth turned to make a run for the base. Except she never quite made it. Strong hands clamped around her hair and she felt herself being tugged backwards before it all went dark.

...

Daryl pounded another nail into a piece of wood and stood back to survey the progress. They were getting somewhere, but it was a slow process. It wasn't anything fancy, but at least he could see the idea of it more clearly now that they had somewhat of a frame up.

He felt bad about sending Will away, but the boy had begun to get on his nerves. He had kept asking questions and every time Daryl had turned, he was there. He stretched and went over to the window to light a cigarette and get some air. He relaxed somewhat as he lounged against the frame of the window. He paused as he thought he heard shouting. The pounding of hammers, saws, and conversation was muffling the sound, but he could have sworn he had heard it. He turned from the window.

"Hey! Y'all be quiet!" He yelled.

Slowly all conversation and noise came to a halt and everyone turned curious stares to Daryl. He held up a finger and went to the door to listen. Everything was quiet. He frowned. He had been so sure he had heard something. He shrugged and was about to tell everyone to forget it when Heather came bounding up the steps. Her expression was frantic and she was panting a little from her physical exertion. That got everyone's attention and tools were quickly abandoned as the men crossed over to find out what was going on.

Heather gasped for air for a minute. "Herd! At the gate!" She pointed frantically.

"Where is Will? Didn't you send him to the gate?" Rick asked him.

Daryl nodded. "Let's go help him kill the bastards. Don't need it collapsing." He tossed down his toolbelt and grabbed his bow from by the door.

Heather jumped in front of them. "You don't understand. There was a car alarm...Beth and Will went to shut it off.." Heather paused to drag in a breath.

Daryl scowled and his pulse jumped as the mention of Beth's name. "Spit it out woman!" He yelled. He could feel the vein in his neck throbbing.

"I can't see them! I don't know where they are! We have to help them!" Heather yelled out.

Daryl felt the world around him spin slightly. He reached out a hand to grasp the door frame and drew in a ragged breath. Without waiting for the others, he rushed out of the door, barely acknowledging Rick calling his name. His only thought was that Beth could be dead and he hadn't said he was sorry. He had to find her.

****AN: Well drama, drama, drama...If I don't get out another chapter tonight, I'll have it up tomorrow. Things are getting a little interesting now. Sorry for the semi-cliffhanger! It's only because I plan on updating really soon! Thanks for the reviews as always! Love, love, LOVE them! Hope you enjoyed, toss me a line or two. ;) Thanks!**


	58. Chapter 58

****AN: I apologize to all those who were waiting on this chapter last night. I had it halfway done, then I decided it wasn't worthy so I deleted it and started over. I got 3/4 of the way through and my mind just refused to cooperate further. I stayed up rather late hoping it would come back to me, but it didn't. I'm sorry! First thing this morning, I grabbed my coffee and jumped back into it. It's not as good as I wanted, but I hope it's not too bad. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)**

**...**

Beth came awake with a jolt as a sharp pain radiated through the back of her head. Wincing, she tried to feel for the source but realized that her hands were chained to a wall. Her legs were free, but that didn't seem to be doing her any good at the moment. She glanced around her and saw that she was in a small room no bigger than a bedroom. There was a small cot in the corner and a table that appeared to have seen better days. Sitting atop the table was a kerosene lamp that looked as if it would go out at any time. It didn't light the entire room, but she was pretty sure she was alone.

She let out a slight whimper as the pain came back again. She wished she could reach behind her head and feel to see what was going on. She wondered where she was and why she was tied up. She strained against the chains, but they didn't budge an inch.

"You should be quiet. He'll be back soon. It will go better for you if you pretend to still be passed out." A female voice said from somewhere in the darkness.

Beth squinted in the dim light but couldn't make out anyone. "Who are you?" She rasped.

She heard a sigh and the slight clinking of chains on the other side of the room. "Naomi. You?" She licked her dry lips and then frowned slightly. She remained silent as she thought about it. "You okay over there?" Naomi asked softly.

"I...I...don't know who I am."

...

Daryl ran at the gate in a frenzied panic. His eyes swept back and forth down the street looking for signs of Beth or Will. He could hear the others behind him somewhere. Someone was shouting at him to wait, but Daryl wasn't really paying attention. All he could think about was finding Beth. He pushed the gate open and began taking out walkers like a machine. They were everywhere. It was the biggest herd they had seen in a while, maybe twenty to thirty walkers. He suddenly realized how stupid it would be to get himself killed as they kept coming up but it was too late to turn back now. He just stabbed, kicked, and sliced his way through. At one point he felt the rough hands of a walker grab onto his shoulder, but he glanced back seconds later as he saw the head fly off and land a few feet away. His eyes met Michonne's and he nodded his thanks to her. She didn't have time to respond as they turned to fight off more walkers.

He could see his group fighting around him now. Despite the fact that they were sorely out of practice, they were still taking the walkers down left and right. He stole a glance at the fence and saw the younger ones stabbing walkers through the holes in an attempt to help. He was relieved to see that they hadn't been let out and he supposed Rick had had something to do with that. Out of the corner of his eye, Daryl spotted Maggie struggling against three walkers who had her surrounded. Glenn was next to her trying to fight off his own little army so Daryl grabbed his bow and aimed at the walker just behind her. It crumpled and she jammed her knife through the skull of the others. She flashed him a quick smile of thanks and moved closer to fight next to Glenn. As the bodies started to pile up, Daryl moved further down the street where the walkers had traveled from.

Now that the herd had thinned down to a few stragglers, Daryl was able to put his knife away and pull out his crossbow. Keeping his eyes and ears on alert, he scanned the area for a sign of Beth and Will. He came to a stop at a fancy Mercedes that had the driver's side door hanging open. He could see the hunched shoulders and hear the sounds of a walker feeding. Swallowing back his panic, he stopped just behind it and put an arrow through it's skull. It slumped against its lunch and Daryl reached out a hand to yank it away. He almost let out a sigh of relief noticing that it was Will. He felt bad for being relieved, especially after he had snapped at the boy earlier. The walker had obviously been feasting for a bit because his body was completely torn apart from neck to waist. Daryl grimaced and forced himself to look away. They would have to come back for the boy's body later; Beth was still out there and she was his main concern.

...

"That's probably because he hit you pretty hard. You were fighting him. You don't remember?" Naomi asked from the darkness.

Beth wrinkled her brow as she tried to summon up a memory but there was nothing. She began to grow frightened as she realized she couldn't remember _anything_ about herself. She didn't remember fighting anyone and she didn't remember being hit. She began to hyperventilate a little and she struggled to breathe. She could hear the other woman _Naomi_, moving around from where ever she was.

"Easy now. Breathe. It's okay. You're probably suffering from a mild concussion and you're just having memory loss. I'm sure it will come back, but you've _got _to calm down. He's been gone a bit and he could be back at any time." Naomi said.

She tried to calm herself. She took deep breaths and tried to focus on the fact that she was at least alive. "Who is this man? Why are we here?" She finally asked.

"His name is Charlie and he's completely crazy. _Really _crazy, not like _zombie_ crazy. I think he's got some kind of multiple personality disorder or something. I was traveling with a two men who were decent people, when he attacked them and he took me. I'm not sure how long ago that was. I've tried to catch a glimpse of the outside when he leaves but he's so quick that sometimes I can't tell if it's day or night. I am guessing a week by my scratches in the wall. He leaves three times a day, and sometimes he comes back with food. He doesn't say much and I don't try and strike up a conversation with him. I would tread carefully around him; his moods change like the drop of a hat."

Beth was about to respond when light came spilling in above their heads. She watched as a shadow loomed over the hole and a bag was dropped to the floor. She glanced across the room and could just barely make out a figure on the other side. She couldn't make out any distinguishing features, but at least she knew where the girl was now. She glanced back up as the man she assumed was Charlie stepped onto a ladder she hadn't noticed and slammed the overhead door shut before climbing down.

The first thing she noticed about Charlie was that he a_ppeared _to be very normal. He was about average height and seemed to be of average build. His hair was dark and shaved close to his head. He picked up the bag from the center of the room and tossed it onto a table. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was looking at him. She knew she should avert her eyes and not draw attention to herself since he was crazy, but she was curious as to how she had even gotten herself in this predicament in the first place.

He flicked a lighter and lit up another lamp that filled the room with more light. She was now able to make out Naomi sitting across from her. She barely had time to study her as Charlie's face loomed in front of hers suddenly. She shrank back as far as she could and managed to scrape her head against the wall. She winced as a searing pain threatened to make her vomit.

He tilted her chin up with one finger and studied her quietly. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes. She wasn't sure if it was from the pain or the fact that she was in this situation. "Hey," He said soothingly. "I'm going to take real good care of you little one. You're my special girl just like Naomi over there." He smiled and she swallowed back the lump that was forming in her throat.

"What do you want from me?" She whispered.

He placed a hand on her cheek and she trembled as he traced his fingers over her face. He stared at her for a few more minutes, his fingers tracing up and down her arms and sending chills down her spine. "What's your name?" He asked her.

She searched her mind again, hoping something might come back to her. She couldn't remember anything and it was making her head throb even more thinking so hard. "I don't know." She whispered.

His eyes flickered briefly with surprise and then he studied her face with a blank expression. He was so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face and she tried not to flinch. Her eyes flicked over to Naomi who was watching them worriedly. Charlie followed her gaze and then smirked. "You been talking to Naomi over there?" He asked. She nodded. "I wouldn't listen to her. She'll get you into trouble. She likes trouble," he laughed. "Now tell me your name sweetheart."

She began to tremble slightly. "I really don't remember. I...I have a wound on the back of my head. It hurts."

He gripped her chin painfully between his two fingers and jerked her head around so he could look at the back of her head. Fuck! I didn't know it was bleeding so bad! That's all we need is for the flesh-eaters to smell it!" He stood up and crossed over to a box on the table.

"Flesh-eaters?" Beth whispered. She had no idea what was going on anymore. She closed her eyes, hoping it was all some bad dream. It wasn't. Everything was still there when she opened them.

Charlie glanced back at her and smirked. "You really don't remember anything, do you? They are the walking dead. They roam the earth in search of food. They look like people, but they're not. They're demons."

Beth shivered. "I'm not sure I understand."

"You will soon enough. Soon enough."

...

Daryl picked up the trail of blood almost immediately. At first he almost skipped over it thinking it belonged to something else, but it was bright red and when he stuck his finger in it, he could tell it was fresh. He was about to take off in that direction when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whipped around, expecting a walker but let out a breath as he saw Rick standing there.

"I'm goin' in an' ya can't stop me. This blood on tha ground is fresh." Daryl said. He tried not to think about what he might find at the end of the trail. He couldn't think about anything like that or he would go absolutely mad.

Rick glanced down at the blood with a frown. "You think she's...injured?"

Daryl shrugged as he studied the woods for any sign on life. "Don't matter. I'm goin' in there."

"You're not going alone. I'll come with you. Wait here and let me tell the others." Rick said. He jogged back over to where the others were busy moving the dead walkers out of the way. Daryl stood there impatiently, shifting back and forth. All he could think about was the possibility that Beth might be carrying his child and that they had had an argument. Now she was somewhere out there, possibly injured and alone. He didn't want to think about the other possibilities. He refused. He wouldn't stop looking until he found her, even if it took him all night.

After what seemed like ages, Rick jogged back over to Daryl. "Let's go bring her back."


	59. Chapter 59

****AN: Thanks for the great response to the last chapter! This one is a long one, but there's a lot going on so it had to be written! I know you all don't mind the long ones! **An apology to Fremione-lover16: I'm so sorry you waited up until 2am for that last update! :( ** A big thank you to HaloHunter89 for your very helpful information. Thank you!** To the rest of you a big thanks as well, and I hope you enjoy! I'll have another update out soon, but I'm not sure if it will be today for this fic. Hopefully by tomorrow, I will have you all another chapter. Thanks for reading! :)**

**...**

Beth felt herself nodding off. She felt a light tap on her face and jerked to with a start. Charlie was staring at her.

"Wake up now sweetheart, can't have you passing out on me." He winked at her.

She shifted her legs restlessly as she tried to get into a more comfortable position. She was very sore from sitting on the hard ground. She didn't know how that girl Naomi had made it this long. She was sure she was going to go crazy fairly soon. Assuming that she hadn't already been crazy, considering that she knew nothing about the kind of person she was.

She eyed Charlie as he rummaged through some bags. He placed several things on the table and then he grabbed up something in a can and walked back over to her. Popping the top, he stuck a fork inside and speared something that looked like nothing she would ever willingly eat. She frowned and tried to turn her head away as he held it up against her mouth. His expression turned exasperated and he sat the can on the ground before grabbing her chin tightly with his fingers.

"Open up Angel." He squeezed tighter until she opened her mouth. The food tasted nasty and she tried not to think about what she might be eating. Her mind kept drifting back to what he had called her. _Angel._ That sounded so familiar to her, but she couldn't quite figure out why. Maybe her name had been Angel. She coughed a bit as he forced more food into her mouth. It felt a little slimy as it slid down her throat and she tried not to gag.

Charlie's eyes kept traveling over her, particularly down her shirt which didn't help with her need to gag. He finished up the can and tossed it into a bag. Grabbing out another he crossed over to Naomi to repeat the process. She didn't fight him. She swallowed each bite obediently, her eyes on Beth. Beth wasn't feeling too well. Her stomach kept churning and she tried to focus her thoughts on something other than the nausea.

It didn't work and before she could stop herself she was hunched over and puking up everything she had just eaten and then some. She kept going until she was left with the dry heaves. The worst part was that her hands were chained so she couldn't really lean over and most of it had ended up on her shirt. Finally she stopped heaving and sat there panting. Charlie finished feeding Naomi and held a bottle of water up to her lips so that she could sip it. Then he crossed back over to Beth and stared down at her angrily.

"You stupid bitch. You think I feel like cleaning this up? Look at you! You're disgusting." He said.

This must be the other Charlie that she hadn't yet seen. Now she was beginning to see what Naomi had meant by split personalities. She _definitely _didn't want to anger this Charlie. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Charlie scoffed. "Damn right, you're sorry. You think I want to clean up after you like you're some kind of baby? Now I've got to go down to the creek to get more water to clean up your shit!" He raised his hand like he was going to slap her and she tensed, waiting for the sting to come. After it didn't come for a few minutes, she opened her eyes to peek back up at him. He was staring at her thoughtfully. "On second thought, you and I are going to take a little walk. You can dip yourself in the creek and get some of this smell off of you. Yeah," He nodded his head. "I might enjoy that."

Beth's eyes met Naomi's and she saw that the other woman looked worried for her.

…..

Daryl and Rick hadn't gone very far before they started hearing footsteps behind them. Raising his crossbow, Daryl whipped around to wait for the person to show themselves. Rick had his gun out and raised just in case. They both let out a sigh as Maggie came stepping through some bushes. As soon as she saw them, she came jogging over.

"What tha hell are ya doin' here Maggie?" Daryl hissed. He wanted to growl in frustration. First Rick and now Maggie. He didn't need any help in finding Beth. He was more than capable of doing this alone. Maggie's face was determined and Daryl knew then that he wouldn't be able to make her go back to base. Once Maggie Greene decided something, it was hard as hell to change her mind. That made him think about Beth and his pulse started racing again.

"I'm comin' too Daryl. She's my sister and I'm not gonna sit behind while she's out here." She recoiled suddenly as she looked at the ground. "Oh my God! Is that blood?" She asked.

Daryl tensed and started to say something but Rick placed a hand on his shoulder and stepped forward to speak to Maggie. "We aren't sure if it's Beth's blood or not. We need you to keep it together if you're coming. Daryl needs to focus all of his concentration on the trail so that we can find her and bring her home where she belongs." Rick said.

Maggie looked at him and took several deep breaths before nodding slowly. "Okay. I promise I won't wig out. I just need to be here. I can't sit behind and do nothing." She turned pleading eyes to Daryl.

He sighed. "Fine," he grumbled. "Just keep quiet an' keep yer eyes peeled for anything suspicious. We don't know if there's more herds out here."

Maggie nodded and tightened her grip on her knife. Daryl turned back to the trail and tried to calm the pounding of his heart so that he could concentrate.

…

Beth stumbled through the woods a few steps ahead of Charlie who now had her hands bound in front of her tightly. He had also tied a rope around her waist and he held tight to the other end as if she were a dog on a leash. She walked ahead not really knowing what direction she should be going. Occasionally he would reach out and roughly turn her a little so she walked in a different direction. They hadn't traveled very far before Beth saw someone in the woods. She wanted to weep with relief. Maybe this person would help her. Charlie would surely get arrested and then she could tell the cops where Naomi was and what had happened.

Except it didn't actually happen like that. As the person drew closer, she slowed down until she was standing still. There was an odd growling noise coming from the person and as it stumbled closer she got a better look at it. Their eyes were a dull milky color and there was blood and what looked like intestines hanging from its stomach. Immediately her stomach began to churn again and she heaved into the bushes right behind her. She could hear the _thing_ coming closer and she turned to see Charlie just standing there watching her. She shifted as far as the rope would allow to get away from it, but it just kept coming. There was a horrible stagger to its walk and the stench was even more horrible. She vaguely remembered Naomi saying something about zombies but she had thought the girl was delusional or something. There was no way this was real. She fought back a scream as the thing grabbed her. It snapped its teeth at her and she shifted to get away from it. She could hear Charlie chuckling behind her and then there was a knife in the things head and it crumpled to the ground right in front of her feet. Charlie stood just behind it, a twisted smile upon his lips.

"That there was the walking dead Angel. Up close and personal. Be careful of the bite. You get bit and you'll turn into one of those things. Wouldn't that be a pity?" He smirked and tugged on the rope to get her moving.

She tore her eyes away from the body lying on the ground. He had just put a knife into someone's head without a second thought. Her vision blurred as she realized that there might not be anyone out here looking for her. She might be at this man's mercy. She bit back a sob and continued to walk.

They finally came upon a small creek a few minutes later and Charlie tied the end of the rope to a small tree at the edge. He untied her hands and gestured towards the water.

"No funny business. Get in there and wash that shit off of you." He demanded.

She gulped and stepped tentatively into the water. It was cool and she stepped slowly, trying to keep her balance on the rocks that ran along the creek bottom. She rubbed her wrists gently as she crossed as far as the rope would allow. She was waist deep and she sank a little into the water to get the vomit off of her shirt. Charlie stood on the bank, smoking a cigarette and watching her. He made her uneasy and she tried to focus on getting herself clean. With trembling fingers she prodded at the back of her head until she felt a sticky mass. She winced at the pain as she pulled her fingers back and saw a few drops of fresh blood. Her head pounded as she dipped her head back a little into the cool water. She gently tried to wash some of the blood out of her head, but it was just too caked to come off without any soap.

She froze as Charlie spoke from the bank. "Take off some of them clothes Angel. We need to make sure we clean everything." Charlie smirked.

…..

It took some time, but Daryl finally picked up on the right trail. Or at least, what he _hoped_ was the right trail. They had only run into two walkers so far, and Rick and Maggie had taken care of those before he could so much as bat an eye. He stepped into a very small clearing and stood there momentarily. The blood tapered off and the trail ran cold. He frowned and circled the small area, trying to think.

"What do you think?" Rick whispered next to him. He kept glancing around the woods.

"Damn if I know man. Seems like if it was jus' her, she'd have left me some kinda trail ya know? Why would she go this far back into tha woods? That ain't like her." Daryl replied.

"You think someone took her Daryl?" Maggie whispered. Her eyes were wide and slightly frightened.

Daryl frowned. "It's possible. Gimme a minute so I can see if I can pick this back up."

He skirted the trees slowly, his eyes locked onto the ground. The longer it took them to find her, the more worried he got. He hadn't wanted to think of the possibility that someone had Beth. The fact that there was blood just didn't sit well with him. He stepped over a branch on the ground and then paused. Walking backwards a step, he crouched down low to the ground. The branch was broken and the grass freshly trampled. Scanning near the branch, he saw a lone footprint that definitely did not belong to Beth.

His senses on alert, he took off in the direction of the footstep, leaving Maggie and Rick with no choice but to follow. He quickly picked up a trail and found this one easier to follow. He could barely make out two sets of prints in the ground and he increased his speed. They traveled a bit before coming upon a fallen walker and Daryl stopped to look it over. He tapped it with his shoe and Rick turned it over to reveal a knife wound to the head. He exchanged a glance with Rick, neither of them having to say anything. Ignoring the worry gnawing at the pit of his stomach, they proceeded on through the woods.

…..

Beth didn't want to take her clothes off for this man. He glared at her as he waited for her to adhere to his command. She scanned the bank, hoping for some sort of inspiration, but found nothing that might help her. She wouldn't even know where to go if she _did_ manage to get away. On top of that, she had no way to defend herself from those things like the one that had tried to take a bite out of her back in the woods. She assumed that there was no longer any police or legal authority that could help her if there were things like that running around. She wondered how many there were.

"Hey!" Charlie called from the bank, snapping her out of her thoughts. He flashed a wicked looking knife. "We don't have all day. I suggest you get to it. Unless you need me to come down there and help you." He chuckled. Beth's fingers trembled as she fumbled with the button on her pants. "No. Take off your shirt first." He ordered.

She swallowed and slowly lifted her shirt over her head. She was wearing a pale pink bra that left little to the imagination. Sucking in a breath and keeping her gaze fixed on the trees behind him, she reached behind her to unhook the clasp on her bra.

Something moved in the woods and she grew panicked at the thought of more of those dead people coming through. Her gaze flicked to Charlie and she saw him pause and then glance over his shoulder. His eyes scanned the woods for a few minutes before he shrugged and turned back around.

"Get on with it!" He shouted.

Someone stepped up behind Charlie and she sucked in a breath. "Drop yer weapon asshole." A male voice growled.

….

Charlie's eyes widened and he threw down the rest of his cigarette before slowly turning around. Daryl growled low in his throat as he fought the urge to immediately beat the guy to a bloody mess. His eyes had already flicked to Beth once. She was standing in the creek wearing only her bra. His fingers tightened around the bow, his other finger applying gentle pressure to the trigger. He knew that Maggie and Rick were waiting off to the side of him keeping an eye out for walkers and preparing to be backup if needed.

Daryl eyed the man with contempt. "You fuckin' deaf? I said drop yer weapon!" He growled.

The man slowly held up his hands and tossed his knife to the side. Daryl's eyes flashed as he recognized it as the knife that he had given Beth. "Hey, no hard feelings here guy. Me and my girl here were just trying to get cleaned off." The man said.

Daryl's vision went red at the mention of Beth being the man's _girl._ He put down his crossbow and grabbed his knife from the waist of his jeans. He smiled coldly at the man. "_Your_ girl, huh? I believe yer fuckin' mistaken unless yer just more stupid 'an I thought." Daryl said menacingly.

The man eyed Daryl and then his fist darted out and punched him in the jaw. Daryl flinched slightly at the hit but his gaze remained on the man. He spit out a few drops of blood. Twisting his knife in his hands, he darted forward and swiped it across the man's chest. It sliced easily through the shirt and a layer of the man's skin, leaving a bright red trail of blood in its wake. The man gaped at the front of his shirt.

"What the fuck is your problem man?" He said angrily.

Daryl smiled. "I'm lookin' at him." He swiped at the guy again, this time slicing across a wrist. A stream of blood squirted into the air and Daryl knew then that he had nicked an artery. He could care less. He already knew he was going to kill this man. He had spotted the rope tied around Beth and he had wanted to rush the man, but Rick had held him back saying that a silent approach would be better. He had heard the man ordering Beth to take off her bra and he had known the man's fate was sealed. Charlie took a swing at Daryl and managed to hit him in the stomach. Daryl barely seemed to feel it through the adrenaline that was coursing through his body. He knew he would feel it later, but right now he remained focused on one thing only: getting Beth back.

…..

Beth slipped her wet shirt back on and stood in the creek shivering slightly as she watched the two men fight. She had no idea who the man with the bow was, but he looked really mad. She had seen his eyes cut over to her before he had begun slicing at Charlie with his knife. She could see the outline of two more figures just off to the side behind some trees. They appeared to be watching the fight take place. She stood still, not quite knowing what she should do.

She watched the man with the shaggy hair barrel into Charlie and begin punching him. He seemed to be in quite the rage yet she wasn't sure exactly why. She didn't recognize him and she couldn't really see the two others. Charlie was now lying on the ground and then she saw the two other figures slowly approach the shaggy haired man. One of them was a man and the other a woman who kept looking at her with concern. The man touched the shaggy haired man's arm gently. He was kicking Charlie over and over in the gut and he had a fierce expression on his face. He slowly came to a stop at the touch of the other man's hand and they spoke a few words to each other. They all turned to look at her and then the shaggy haired man nodded and proceeded down the slight slope towards the creek's edge.

She stood very still as her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't get the feeling that the man was dangerous, but she wasn't sure. He came wading into the water and stopped a few inches in front of her. He appeared confused as he studied her. She studied him as well. He had on a button up shirt that had the sleeves cut off. He wore jeans and black boots. She stared at his eyes and hoped for some spark of recognition. There was nothing.

"Beth? Ya alright?" He spoke in a thick Southern drawl. He didn't make any more moves towards her.

"Beth? Do you know me?" She asked.

The man appeared confused and glanced back up the hill to the others who must have finished the job because they were walking down towards the creek now. "What you mean? Ya don't recognize me?" He asked gruffly. He seemed so lost that her heart ached for him for a moment. She didn't know whether to believe him or not. She wished she could remember _something._

She shook her head slowly as the other two people came to a stop just behind the man. "Beth?" The woman called out. Her voice was filled with concern.

Beth grabbed her head and shook it quickly, everything becoming overwhelming. "No, no, no," she muttered. "I thought my name was Angel. I don't know what's going on here." Tears started to slip down her cheeks.

The shaggy haired man took a step closer to her but the woman reached out a hand to grab his arm. "Daryl." The woman's voice sounded torn.

"Maggie, don't….Don't fuckin' touch me." The man, _Daryl_, responded gruffly. He crossed over the last few steps until he was right in front of her. He stared at her as if he was drinking her in with his eyes. She almost felt exposed, but not in a bad way. Those eyes sent tingles through her. He reached out his hand and slowly took hers.

"Who _are_ you?" She whispered.


	60. Chapter 60

Beth woke up a bit disoriented and glanced around at her surroundings. She appeared to be in a small room that held a bed and a small bedside table. Then she remembered that she had passed out. They must have carried her somewhere. _Was this her home? Where was she? Where were those people?_ She started to sit up and them realized she was only wearing a long shirt and panties. _Who had changed her? _

The door to the room opened and the man they had called Daryl stepped inside. He glanced over at her and then paused, seeming surprised to see her awake. She pulled the covers up to her chin and scurried back towards the wall some. His face fell a bit but then all emotion was wiped from it as he walked over closer to her. He seemed to be nervous about something.

Daryl cleared his throat. "How ya feelin'?"

"I feel okay. My head still feels tender, but it's a lot better than it was."

"That's cause we had Heather patch ya up," He shuffled from foot to foot. "Ya remember a_nything?_" He finally asked.

She wanted to, she really did. She tried to drudge up some memory, no matter how small, but there was nothing. At best, she succeeded in making her head hurt. She slowly shook her head no. He shifted around, looking uncomfortable.

"They said its best if we keep ya on a routine. Ya know, let ya see everybody an' maybe somethin' will jar yer memory." He said.

"Okay." She waited. She definitely wasn't getting dressed in front of this man that she didn't know. She wondered if he had been the one to change her clothes. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. He was an attractive man, but she didn't _know_ him. He also seemed to be really grumpy. "How do we know each other?" She asked curiously.

He chewed on his thumb with his mouth. She figured it must be some kind of nervous thing for him. She had seen him do it once already. "We, um, we're...together." He mumbled.

_She was in a relationship with him?_ "Like married?" She asked with wide eyes.

He smirked and shook his head. "Ain't nobody really gets married no more 'cept Glenn an' Maggie cause they a buncha saps. We ain't married." He said. He couldn't seem to look her in the eye and she wondered if there was something he wasn't telling her.

"We sleep together in here, don't we?" She whispered.

He shifted around again and tugged at the neck of his shirt. "We do. Listen, why dontcha go on an' get dressed an' I'll meet ya right outside tha door." Before she could say anything, he opened the door and stepped out, quickly shutting it behind him.

...

Daryl leaned back against the door, trying to control the pounding of his heart. He swung out with his fist in frustration and almost hit Michonne as she came up behind him. She ducked quickly out of the way and he glanced at her sheepishly. "Sorry." He mumbled.

She shrugged. "No big deal. How is she?" She looked towards the door.

He looked down at his feet sullenly. "She still don't remember nothin'."

Michonne nodded slightly and studied him. "I'm sure she'll come around in time." Daryl nodded but he didn't feel too convinced. "So what was this guy like? Why did he take her?"

"Don't know. Couldn't figure that shit out. We was gonna talk ta her, but she went an' passed out on us. He had her knife an' was makin' her bathe in a fuckin' creek half naked." Daryl's hands clenched involuntarily. Michonne cast a glance down at his hands and then back up at his face.

"There are some sick people in this world. Beth is stronger than she was before. She'll pull through this." She touched his shoulder lightly before leaving him standing in the hallway, alone with his thoughts. A few minutes later, the door opened and Beth stepped out. She had on one of Daryl's shirts and a pair of her pants with her boots. He moved out of the way so that she could step into the hall.

She smoothed her hands down the clothes she wore. "I...I didn't know what I usually wore. I couldn't seem to find anything that looked clean. This shirt is the only one that felt comfortable."

Sometimes she had worn his shirt to bed because she had said it was more comfortable and smelled like him. He had teased her about it, but secretly he had been a little pleased that she wanted to be so close to him. "That ones mine." He said softly and watched as her face turned a shade of red. She tensed and then seemed to remember something. He looked at her expectantly, hoping she might recall the memory. "Naomi! Did you find Naomi?" She asked.

Daryl frowned. _Naomi? Was she hallucinating?_ "Who tha hell is Naomi?" He asked.

"She was down below ground with me. Charlie had us chained to the wall, he-" She paused and frowned, as if deciding she didn't want to say anymore.

It was too late. Daryl's blood was already boiling. Clenching his jaw, he grabbed her arm and almost dragged her outside to find Rick. To his relief, he didn't have to look far. Rick must have been making his way over to see him. Glenn was not far behind. One look at his face and they both stopped to try and assess the situation before Daryl came to a halt in front of them with Beth in tow.

"There's another one! He had another girl! Chained to tha fuckin' wall like slaves!" Daryl spat. He stalked a few feet away from them all and stood there, silently fuming. Glenn's mouth hung open and Rick stood there with a hand in his hair, obviously torn between going to Daryl or interrogating Beth. He must have decided to let Daryl stew a bit because he stepped up in front of Beth.

"I'm, uh, Rick. I'm kind of an unofficial leader for the group. So you say there was another girl with you?" Daryl heard him ask Beth.

"Yes, and her name was Naomi! We have to find her! She's down there all by herself." Beth's voice was insistent.

Rick sighed. "Don't worry. We'll do our best. Now do you remember anything about where you were?"

Daryl turned around to find that Glenn was gone, probably off to find Maggie now that Beth was awake. He watched as Rick talked to Beth about this other girl. He figured Rick would want him to go back out, seeing as how no one else was that great at tracking. At one time, he would have said he wanted to stay with Beth, but this Beth was not _his_ Beth. She was different, and he wasn't sure how to act around her. She almost seemed afraid of him and that hurt him more than he wanted to admit.

"I think we were underground. We were in the middle of the woods. He had some kind of door in the ground or something. It didn't take us long to get to the creek. Though I'm afraid I don't know much more than that."

Rick nodded. "Alright. We'll do our best. Try not to worry, okay? I'm sure she'll be fine. Just concentrate on getting your memory back." He smiled at her reassuringly.

Beth placed her hand on Rick's arm and Daryl flinched as she smiled up at him. "Thank you Rick." She said softly. She leaned up slightly and to Daryl's shock, pressed a kiss to his cheek. Rick turned red and managed a slight nod. She turned and walked away towards Maggie who was coming across the lawn, waving wildly at her.

Daryl waited until she was out of hearing range before turning his attention to Rick who was still slightly red. "What tha hell was that?" Daryl yelled.

Rick turned to him with surprise. "What was what?" He asked.

"Don't play stupid with me! What tha hell was that fuckin' kiss?" Daryl yelled. He felt like he was on the edge. _What was happening to his family? _Everything was falling apart. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. She was supposed to be back and safe with everything going back to normal, just like before all of this shit had went down. Rick touched him on the shoulder lightly and Daryl jerked away from him, brushing the touch off.

"It wasn't anything Daryl. She's just confused. There's no need to jump down my throat. Now I was thinking of getting a couple of guys together to find this Naomi. Are you in or not?" Rick asked.

"Don't worry about it. _I've_ got this. Just stay here an' keep an eye on yer little _girlfriend_." Daryl practically spit out the last word and Rick stood there in shock as he turned and stalked away, crossbow swinging behind him.

...

Daryl stalked towards the gate in a silent rage. Thankfully, no one tried to speak to him and he made it to the gate, knifing a walker through the holes that was standing too close. As he began unlocking the chain that held the gate closed, he felt a hand on his back. Spinning around he was shocked to find Carol standing there.

"What tha hell do ya want?" Daryl growled. She didn't seem put off by his behavior in any way and he remembered that she knew him before. She knew him when he had been a major asshole, back when his brother had been alive. She hadn't been scared of him then either.

"You don't need to go out there in a rage. You'll only get sloppy and get yourself killed. Take someone with you." Carol said softly.

He sighed and felt some of the tension leave him as he saw the concern in her eyes. "I don't need no help." He looked away from her and through the fence towards the woods.

"I know you don't. I would just feel better if maybe Michonne or someone went with you." Carol replied.

Daryl was silent for a few minutes. He really didn't need this right now. It had been stressful enough before when he had thought Beth might be pregnant. Now he still didn't know if she was or not and on top of that, she had no fucking idea who _he_ was. He would have laughed at the mess of the whole situation if he didn't feel like his heart was being ripped into a thousand pieces. He swallowed over a lump in his throat and looked down at the ground.

"She ain't comin' back, is she?" He asked gruffly. Carol was silent for so long that he finally looked up to see her looking at him with watery eyes. The last thing he needed was an emotional woman. He had enough emotions of his own to deal with right now.

"Of course she is. She just needs time. It's only the first day." Carol whispered.

Daryl started to reply and then stopped as he spotted Gabby walking towards the gate, probably coming to stand on guard duty.

"Hey China!" He called out. Her eyes narrowed as he used the name he had called her when they had first met on he and Carl's hunting trip. She slowed to a stop as she came up next to him and Carol.

"What do you want Redneck?" She smirked.

Daryl ignored her remark and nodded his head towards the woods. "You gotcha weapon?" She nodded and held it up for him to see. "Good. Ya can keep me company. Might need a female face when I find this other chick." He said.

"What other chick?" Gabby asked.

"There's another woman out there that was locked up with Beth." Daryl replied.

Gabby looked from him and then to Carol who shrugged. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Fine. Carol will you tell Michonne and the others where I am?" Carol nodded and held the gate for them to pass through.

"Be safe!" Carol called.

Daryl didn't respond and began heading towards the woods, Gabby not far behind. "So what's up with this chick? She got a name?" Gabby asked as she jogged a bit to keep in step with him.

Daryl cast her a sideways glance. "Naomi or some shit like that." He said.

"Okay...Do we know where she is?"

Daryl stopped. "Listen, I ain't got time ta play twenty questions with ya. Ya either shut up and follow my lead, or head on back. I'm not in tha mood."

She placed her hands on her hips. "I can see that. You don't have to be such a bitch about it," Her expression softened some as she continued. "Beth's memory will come back with time. I've seen it happen before. Just wait, one day she will wake up and it will be just like it used to be."

Daryl scowled. "That's tha thing. We was fightin' before all this shit happened. Ain't never gonna be like it used ta be. She's already movin' on ta bigger an' better things."

...

****AN: Things are getting a little interesting! I wonder what's going to happen next?** **I'll try to get another chapter out tomorrow! Loving the reviews! I got a much stronger reaction than I expected! Thank you all so much! They mean a lot to me. Thanks for reading! :)**


	61. Chapter 61

****AN: If you all knew what kind of day I have had today, you would know what a miracle it is that I've managed to get this chapter out at all. It's only because I love you all so much! Seriously, it's been a rough day. I really hope I can manage to get something else out this evening for my other fic or this one, but we'll see how it goes. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I thought it was pretty good, but then again, my mood has been all over the place today. So, let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

**...**

Daryl moved silently through the woods folllowing the tracks that they had left before. His mind wasn't as fuly focused as it usually was and as usual his thoughts kept drifting to Beth. He wished he could take it all back. He wished they could go back to how it was before they had had sex in the shower without a condom. It seemed as if that had started a chain of bad luck.

He crossed back to the area that he, Rick, and Maggie had first come upon and studied the ground. Everything blended in to him and nothing seemed out of place. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Gabby walk off to the side and pick up something off of the ground. She walked slowly over to him, her fingers toying with whatever she had picked up. He glanced at her curiously.

"You recognize this?" She asked as she held up the small object she was carrying.

He took it from her hands and looked at it a moment, his fingers gliding over the face of it to wipe at the dirt. "Yeah, it belongs ta Beth." He said gruffly and shoved the object into his pocket for later. "Help me look for some kinda trap door in tha ground." He told her as he circled the small area. She began sliding her boots around on the hard ground, trying to feel for anything out of place. It was Daryl who finally saw it off to the side of the small clearing. It was barely noticeable at all and despite his hatred for Charlie, he thought the idea of it was quite clever.

"Here!" He called to Gabby and she turned from her explorations and hurried over to him. She dropped to her knees next to him and they worked at the sides until they finally got it open. The door made a soft creaking sound and they peered below into complete darkness. Gabby glanced at him and then back down at the hole.

"Naomi?" She called softly. There was a shuffling sound in reply but nothing else.

Daryl reached into his pocket and brought out the lighter that he carried around. Flicking it he held the tiny flame down towards the hole and could just barely make out a ladder. He turned back to Gabby. "I'm goin' down there. Keep an' eye out." She nodded in response and he shifted so that he could begin his climb into darkness.

Halfway down, he flicked the lighter on again and swept it towards the floor to make sure he wasn't going to step on anything he would regret later. The tiny room held a horrible odor and he wasn't quite sure what he would encounter down there, but he could hear more shuffling now and the clinking of chains. As he took the last step he turned to bring some light into the small room. He could make out a small bed in one corner and he kept the flame going to find a table that was sitting next to it. There was a small bag on the table and he bypassed it for now as he kept going with his sweep. His eyes came upon empty chains at first and that now familiar tightness came back over him as he took in the place where Beth had been held.

He ceased his movements as the flame illuminated onto what he believed must have been Naomi at some point. It was no longer Naomi now and as he watched the walker lunged at him against the chains that held it to the wall. He noticed the chair that was overturned not far from it and found the tiny sliver of wood sitting on the ground covered in blood.

"Hey, everything okay in there? I don't hear you Daryl." Gabby called down.

He pulled his eyes away from the walker and glanced towards the top of the hole. He could see Gabby, but he knew she wouldn't be able to see him. He cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. I found 'er. It ain't pretty." He said.

Gabby was silent for a few minutes as she mulled this over. "Oh, no. Poor thing."

Daryl swept his light back towards the walker once more. Her wrists were splotched with blood as well as her stomach and he realized she must have tried for some time to kill herself before actually succeeding. Daryl had seen a lot of shit in his day but some images were hard to erase. There was no way he could hold the lighter and his crossbow at the same time so he grabbed his knife and with a sigh, finished the job that she had started.

...

Beth walked the grounds with Maggie who she had learned was her sister. She didn't know she had a sister and she was coming to really like Maggie a lot. Maggie had been talking nonstop since that morning, trying to fill her in on everything that was going on. She had learned that her father had passed away some time ago and that had been really hard to take.

Everything was really hard to take in. She wanted to inquire more about her relationship with Daryl, but she wasn't sure how to go about asking. It was weird meeting someone who was supposed to be your sister for the first time. She knew that Maggie was kind of sad that she didn't remember her and Beth couldn't blame her. She was trying really hard to remember everyone though, but it just wasn't coming.

"I think you almost killed poor Daryl this morning." Maggie commented after a few minutes. They were sitting underneath one of the more shadier trees outside.

Beth paused from plucking at blades of grass at this news. "Why?"

Maggie pulled her knees up to her chest and then looked over at Beth. "You kissed Rick."

Beth blushed a little. "It was only on the cheek. I didn't mean anything by it. It's just that he was being so nice..."

"But Daryl didn't see it that way. He's very protective over you...This whole..situation, has hurt him more than he's telling anyone. I can see it on his face. Besides, Rick is with Carol."

Beth was taken aback. How was she supposed to know who was in a relationship with who? She hadn't meant to hurt Daryl's feelings at all. She hadn't even realized that Daryl had feelings. He had only been stiff with her the times they had spoken. She supposed that she should seek him out when he returned. Maybe if she talked to him, she would realize what had made her fall for him.

"This is so hard! I'm not trying to hurt anyone but I don't know what I'm doing here! This whole life is new to me! I just need time!" Beth stood up at that and walked away leaving a gaping Maggie staring after her.

...

Michonne let Daryl and Gabby back inside the gate when they returned. Gabby embraced Michonne while Daryl bypassed them both and just kept walking. He wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. He could feel both of the women gazing after him but he just didn't care. He had failed again. He hadn't been able to bring this Naomi woman back and now Beth would probably pull away from him even more. He just didn't want to see the look on her face when she found out that Naomi didn't make it.

Instead of walking into the base, he skirted around the edge and walked the fence line. Gabby could let the others know what had happened for all he cared. It didn't make a difference to Daryl. He walked along slowly, stabbing at the occasional walker that traveled to close to the fence.

It was times like these that Daryl missed Merle the most. His brother always had that ability to give it to you straight, no matter what. Sometimes Daryl just needed to hear it. When things had gotten tough before, Merle had always understood. They would take off together and go hunting to blow off some steam. Or if it was really bad, they would go a few rounds with each other. For all of Merle's faults, he had still been Daryl's brother, even if he was a pain in the ass. He could almost hear Merle's voice telling him he needed to stop being a pussy and fight for his woman. He sighed and wondered if Merle would have been right as he paused to stare out of the fence and into the empty streets beyond.

...

Beth ran her hand along the fence, mindful of the strange flesh eating creatures that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Her brain felt overworked and she knew she had been pushing it too hard all day. Heather had stopped by to see her and checked all of her vitals as well as her head wound. Aside from that, she had claimed there wasn't much more she could do from a medical standpoint. They weren't in any position to do any x-rays like they would have if the world hadn't ended. The best that Heather had to offer her was to keep surrounding herself with everyone and going about some kind of routine and see if her memory was jarred back to life. The only problem with that was that she didn't know if she _had_ a routine.

Her fingers came to a stop as she spotted the figure in the distance ahead of her. He was standing next to the fence, staring out as if deep in thought. He hadn't seemed to notice her so she took the moment to study him. She had already overheard from some of the others that Naomi hadn't made it. She felt bad about that, but not as bad as she had thought she would. She had barely known the woman, but she did feel bad that they hadn't been able to save her. She couldn't imagine dying down in that hole alone. She took a few steps closer and he turned, their eyes meeting. She paused at all of the emotions that seemed to be swirling around in those blue eyes of his.

Taking a deep breath, she walked over until she was standing just in front of him. He regarded her silently, but didn't change his position in any way. Finally he broke his gaze away from hers and looked down at the ground.

"We didn't get ta yer friend in time." He said.

"I heard." She replied.

"Yeah well, I did tha best I could."

"I'm sure you did," It was her turn to look down at the ground now, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier. I didn't mean anything by that kiss I gave Rick."

"Ya ain't hurt my feelin's. Ya free ta do whatever tha hell ya want." He said with an air of indifference.

She was hurt by that comment. _Why would he say that if they had such a great relationship?_ "Is this the kind of relationship we had? Are you always this sour?" She asked.

He smirked and leaned closer to stare down at her. "Not always Angel." He whispered.

She felt her face grow flush and her pulse began pounding at his nearness. "Yo-...You call me Angel?" She whispered.

He shrugged. "Used to." He studied her for a few moments.

She rubbed her forehead as she tried to fit that into her brain. She felt like there was something there, but it was just out of reach. She sighed. He was still standing there, leaning closely into her space, staring at her. She felt drawn to him in that moment, in a way that she couldn't quite explain. She felt herself leaning into him and then his lips closed over hers, warm and wet. He grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her to him so that she was fitted against his body. She gasped as sensations coursed through her. She waited, hoping the memories would come flooding back to her, but there was still nothing. Panting, she pulled back from the kiss and saw that he was breathing hard as well.

He backed away from her a few inches and she saw that emotionless mask come back over his face again. "I..I'm sorry. I just..I'm so confused." She said.

He reached into his pocket and brought something out. She couldn't make out what it was but he turned it over in his hands before grabbing her hand. He placed it into her hand after a few minutes.

"Maybe this will help ya find yer way back ta me." He whispered. He brushed a feather light kiss across her forehead and removed his hand from hers to walk away.

She swallowed and finally looked down into her hand. It was a compass with a pair of angel wings on the back.


	62. Chapter 62

Beth turned the compass over and over in her hands, lost in thought. She knew there was a significance to it, but it just wouldn't come clear to her in her mind. She touched her lips where they had kissed and she could still feel the warmth of his pressing against hers. She almost felt sick. Here was this man who she obviously had had feelings for, except she couldn't remember them. He was obviously hurting and she had no way to help him and that made her feel bad.

She had sat through dinner, feeling like a stranger in a roomful of people that she knew she was supposed to know. Only she didn't, and the more they tried to talk and joke with her, the more she felt like some kind of outsider. This was a strange feeling to have, not knowing who you really were in the world. She knew they were all trying really hard to help her and they all kept looking at her expectantly like they were waiting for her to have some sort of grand epiphany or something. Except it never came. She waited for it all to come rushing back to her as well, but it didn't. That worried her too. She didn't know if it should be taking this long for her memory to come back.

She was sitting in the room that she supposedly shared with Daryl. She kept fingering the compass in her hands as she sat on the bed with her legs crossed. The piece was very beautiful. She recognized the angel wings from the ones he wore on the back of a vest she had seen earlier. She glanced up as the door opened suddenly, and their eyes met. He stood there kind of awkwardly for a moment before coming inside.

"I, uh, I'm jus' gonna get some clothes an' I'll be out yer way." He mumbled as he started digging through bags.

She watched him for a few moments as she continued to toy with the compass in her hand. "Where will you sleep?" She asked.

He glanced over at her and shrugged. "Pro'bly under a tree outside or somethin'. Don't much care for bein' cramped up indoors all tha time."

She mulled this over. "That's comfortable to you?" She asked.

She could see the side of his face redden slightly. "Bout as comfortable as anything else I s'pose. I've slept in worse places."

She watched as he gathered up some clothes and began to back towards the door. She wasn't sure what compelled her to open her mouth but she did. "You can sleep here," She blurted. "I...I mean like on the floor."

He stared at her for a few minutes. "Ya want me ta sleep in here, or ya jus' sayin' that?" He finally asked.

"I want you to." She whispered softly after a few moments.

He hesitated for a few moments and then finally nodded. He put his clothes back down and then took off his boots. He started to unzip his pants and then stopped as her eyes grew wide. He zipped them back up and then crossed over to the floor by the bed. She handed him a pillow and a blanket and he made himself a pallet beside the bed. She cut out the lamp next to the bed and the room was enveloped in darkness. She tried to get comfortable in the unfamiliar bed, but she couldn't seem to get herself to fall asleep. It was quiet from his spot on the floor and she wondered if he had already fallen asleep that quickly.

She sighed and rolled over, trying to will herself to sleep. She lay there with her eyes open and stared at the wall in silent frustration. Everything was so screwed up. Apparently she had gotten herself kidnapped trying to help her group and in the process, lost her memory. Now here she was, being a drain on everyone in their community who were trying to help her remember and she still couldn't remember anything. On top of that, the man she was supposedly in love with was lying on the floor next to the bed, probably wondering what he was even doing here. She felt the hot tears slide down her cheeks and sniffled quietly.

The bed dipped next to her and she felt warm fingers touch her cheek. "What'cha cryin' for?" Daryl whispered from somewhere next to her. She wanted so badly to bury herself into his arms and cry her eyes out but she didn't even know if that was something that she would do. His rough fingers slid over her cheeks, catching her tears as they slid down her face.

"I don't know wh..what to do!" She said as more tears slid down her face.

"What ya mean?" He asked. She felt him shift around and she could almost make out his face above hers in the darkness. He was being nicer to her than she deserved and that only made her cry harder. She felt him move and then his arms were around her, pulling her to his chest. She burrowed into him, sobbing her heart out. He was silent as he held her, his arms tight around her shaking form. They stayed that way for some time until her sobs finally began to subside and she grew quiet again. She rubbed her eyes against his shirt. She could feel the hard muscles underneath it. His hands moved from around her to cup her face gently.

"Ya alright?" He asked gruffly.

"No, I'm not alright. I just want my memory back." She whispered. She could barely make out the glint of his eyes in the darkness of the room.

"I want it back too." He said.

She reached a hand out to caress the hair on his face. He jerked slightly at the touch and then he leaned his face into her palm slightly. She shivered slightly as he pressed his lips into the palm of her hand.

She could feel the change in the air. Suddenly she wanted him. She wanted his lips back on hers again. She wanted to feel that connection. She needed his warmth and love. She grabbed his face and pulled him down to her. He stopped with his lips a breath above hers.

"Ya sure?" He breathed.

She nodded and then realized he wouldn't be able to see her. "Yes. Please." She whispered.

He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her gently at first, lightly stroking her with his tongue. She pressed herself closer to his body and then gasped as she felt his erection brush against her through his pants. She swallowed hard. He continued kissing her and she relaxed again, content to continue kissing him for as long as possible. His hand came to rest on her hip and she shifted so that his hand coasted under her shirt a little. His fingers trailed over her stomach and she shivered. She could feel the heat of her arousal spreading through her like wildfire. She opened her mouth to moan and his tongue stroked in deeper, sending chills coarsing through her body. Her hands traveled behind his back and slid underneath his shirt to touch his skin. Her body felt like it was on fire. His mouth left hers to nuzzle her neck and he pressed light kisses there. She bucked against him and his hand traveled just under the edge of her shorts to lightly stroke her there. She tensed and then moaned as his fingers found the source of her frustration. He dipped his fingers in and out, lightly stroking her as he used his other hand to push her shirt up. His mouth closed over her nipple and she cried out without thinking about who might hear her. The combination of his fingers and mouth continued to assault her senses until she finally exploded underneath him, his name upon her lips as she rode out her wave of pleasure. He withdrew his hand and began to move away from her but she caught him and grabbed at the waist of his jeans blindly.

"Angel.." He rasped.

She shook her head. "No. I need you inside of me. Please." She muttered.

"Jesus." He muttered and his voice shook slightly as he shed himself of his pants and shirt. He was back to her moments later and he helped her to pull her shorts and panties off. He came back to her and he groaned as his mouth closed onto hers. She couldn't think of anything else at the moment but the feel of him against her, of having him inside of her. He positioned himself over her and slid into her, both of them letting out their own moans of pleasure. They moved together, each of them seeking out their own release. He thrust into her and she bucked her hips up to his in response. She felt herself crest and then her whold body shook as she found her release and pulsed beneath him. He groaned seconds later and buried his face into her neck as his body pumped into her.

"I love you." He whispered as they lay next to each other breathing heavily from their exertions. She didn't know how to respond so she just hugged him to her as they lay next to each other. Finally she heard his breathing even out signaling he was asleep and she lay there a few more moments until sleep finally pulled her under and she dreamed.

****AN: Hang in there all of my Beth fans! Maybe something will happen soon, just don't hate her. She's really trying but she's just as confused and lost as everyone else because this is like a whole new world to her and it's terrifying to say the least. So just keep that in mind. I hope you all enjoyed this little snippet of a chapter. I know it wasn't as long as it has been, but I felt it was best to keep this one a little short. So drop me a line and let me know your thoughts! As always, I appreciate the time you all take to review! It's why I continue on like I do! Thanks! :)**


	63. Chapter 63

**AN: Alright, I know it's short, but cut me some slack! I got two other chapters out for two of my other fics today as well. So that's _three_ chapters all in one day! Show me some love please! LOL! Oh and I think I forgot to tell all my readers here that I started a new fic called "Summer's End". It's got Caryl (Daryl/Carol) and Cath (Carl/Beth) if anyone is interested in reading it. I know that sometimes the site doesn't alert you all to new stories, but I hope if you get time, you'll check it out and drop me a line there! Thanks again for all the reviews/pm's I'm getting for this story! You all don't know how happy that makes me considering we are going strong at 63 chapters! Enjoy! :)**

**...**

Beth woke up to a hard male body entwined with hers. She opened her eyes slowly and then grinned at the sight of Daryl's sleeping form next to her. He was apparently sleeping very deeply judging from the sounds of his deep breathing. She ran her hand over his back lightly, tracing his scars. She paused for a moment in her exploration. Something must have alerted Daryl because his eyes fluttered open and he stared at her. She looked at him in wonder.

"What's tha matter?" He asked.

"I remember." She breathed.

Daryl suddenly perked up and stared at her. "Ya do?" He asked.

She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the memory. "Not everything. I just remember your scars." She replied as she opened her eyes and looked at him.

His shoulders slumped a little bit at that and she felt bad that she didn't remember more. He had clearly been anticipating her remembering everything at once. She wasn't sure if that was how it worked but she was excited that she remembered anything at all, no matter how small. It made her feel much better knowing that she did actually belong there. He shifted in the bed and she became acutely aware that they were both naked in the bed together. She slipped back a couple of inches and tucked the sheet around her naked form, not feeling as brave as she had mere moments before. It was easier to be brave with clothes on.

He smirked. "It's a lil' late ta be shamed now dont'cha think?"

Her face burned more at his teasing. Everything was different in the light of day. She wrapped the sheet around herself and tried to crawl over him. Except it didn't go quite as gracefully as she envisioned. She found herself caught with half of the sheet off of her and the other half still clutched to her breasts. She was also pressed intimately against his lower half. His very _naked_ lower half. She snuck a glance up at him to see him grin and place his hands behind his head. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" She asked.

He chuckled. "Mhm. Lovin' tha view."

She couldn't help herself from grinning back at him. Giving up on any modesty at all, she left the sheet behind to cover him and began to get herself dressed. He stayed in the same position and watched her as she dressed, his eyes following her every move. She could feel the heat coming back to her that she had experienced last night and she tried to focus her thoughts elsewhere. If she kept thinking about it, she would end right back up in bed with him again. Not that she would mind of course, being with him had been nothing short of amazing. She finished getting dressed and turned back to find him sitting up on the edge of the bed.

"I've got to run. I'm supposed to see Heather at the infirmary this morning. She wants to check my wound again." She said.

He looked over at her and nodded. "Yeah, I've got ta get over ta the barracks an' see 'bout helpin' the guys finish up. Then we've got ta see 'bout havin' some sort of burial for Will." She wished she could remember something about the boy. She had heard about how he had been overtaken by one of those zombie things and she felt really bad that that had happened. The group hadn't seemed to overly distraught over his death though, so she wondered what kind of person he had been. Then again, she hadn't gotten to spend time with everyone so there might be some who were grieving that she hadn't noticed. She had been too caught up in her own situation as of late.

She shook her head and tried to focus back on the task at hand. Daryl stood up and dropped the sheet to look for some clothes. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his body as he walked over to dig through a duffle bag. She was suddenly struck dumb of all thought and simply stood there, staring open-mouthed. He finally turned and upon seeing her expression, shot her a grin. He pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt before striding over to her. He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and then sat down to pull on his boots.

"Got somethin' else ya need ta say?" He asked.

She flushed again and fumbled for the doorknob. "No, I'm good. I'll see you later then." She said quickly before walking out, Daryl's chuckles following behind her.

...

Beth made her way quickly over to the infirmary and let herself inside. She was beginning to see why she had fallen in love with Daryl. He was definitely a charmer and his body took her breath away. His smile was just as deadly although he rarely seemed to flash it at anyone but her. It held the power to knock her to her knees.

She was so focused on Daryl that she almost ran into Heather who was lugging a box into the front room. Heather quickly sidestepped to avoid a collision.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" Heather teased with a smile.

Beth smiled back. "Sorry."

"It's alright. I was just moving some stuff around back there in the exam room. Come on back and I'll check out your head." Heather walked towards the exam room, not waiting on a reply.

Beth walked inside and sat down on the exam table. Heather crossed around behind the table and gently parted Beth's hair so that she could see the wound. Beth sat there patiently while Heather examined it. Finally she pushed her hair back into place and crossed back in front of her.

"How's your memory? Any changes?" Heather asked. Beth noticed that she made notes in a notebook.

"I remembered something this morning!" Beth said suddenly. Then she remembered _how_ she had come across that fact and she tried to keep her face from flaming again.

Heather looked at her expectantly. "What did you remember?"

"I remembered how Daryl had gotten some scars on his back." She replied.

Heather raised a brow at this fact. "Oh? That's it?" She asked.

Beth nodded. "That's it."

Heather set down her notebook and looked at Beth like she wanted to say something but she wasn't sure how to say it. She toyed with her pencil for a few minutes before speaking.

"So you haven't remembered a_nything_ else?" Heather insisted.

Beth frowned. _Should she have remembered something else?_ She couldn't think of anything though so she shook her head no. Heather sighed and then came over to sit next to her on the examination table.

"I've got to talk to you about something. I...I debated on whether or not I should hold out to see if you got your memory back, but I'm not sure how long that's going to be now. This isn't exactly something that should wait." Heather said.

Beth felt uneasy. This sounded serious. Maybe she was worse off than she thought? She braced herself for what Heather might say. "Okay. Just tell me. I can handle it." She said.

Heather looked at her for a long moment before replying. "You came to me before your accident because you were worried about something," She paused a moment. "You and Daryl had unprotected sex and then had a fight about it. You two were discussing the possibility of making a family. You very well could be pregnant."

Beth felt lightheaded. A _family? _She might be _pregnant?_ She was still trying to get to know _herself_, much less a little one. And Daryl. They had had a fight? What had they argued about exactly? Did he not want the kid? So many thoughts swirled around her mind and she stood up, intending to head over and talk to Daryl. Instead she felt the world start to spin and the floor rushed up to meet her face.


	64. Chapter 64

Beth walked around in a daze after hearing the news of a possible pregnancy from Heather. Heather had told her that it was still too early to bother doing a test but she assured her that she would find her when the time was right. Until then she encouraged Beth to make sure she was eating and drinking plenty just in case.

She fingered the compass in her pocket as she walked. Rubbing her fingers over the smooth surface seemed to calm her somewhat. She drifted over to the barracks where the men were currently still doing their renovations. She spotted Daryl easily enough through the others. He was the only male that still had a shirt on, no doubt to keep a shield over his scars. She paused a moment while she watched him work, her thoughts drifting.

"Hey." A female voice next to her said.

She turned around in surprise. "Hey. You're...Gretta right?" Beth asked.

Gretta nodded. "Yep. That's me. So I haven't had a chance ta talk ta ya since ya lost yer memory an' all. Ya gotta few minutes?" The girl dug the toe of her boot in the dirt as she waited.

Beth snuck a glance back towards where the men were working. Daryl was standing next to a tall black man whose name she couldn't remember. She figured she would have a chance to talk to him in a bit when things calmed down. She turned back to Gretta. "Okay."

Gretta motioned with her head towards the fences. "Wanna walk?" She suggested.

Beth shrugged and they set off at a leisurely pace beneath the tree and out towards the fences. Gretta was quiet for a long time and Beth could tell something was troubling the young girl. She wasn't too sure of her own relationship with this girl but she figured they had been friendly at least. There didn't seem to be anybody in the group that had a problem with anyone else. "Is something bothering you?" Beth finally broke the silence to ask.

Gretta scrunched her nose a bit like she was thinking really hard about something. "Yeah," She came to a stop. "Yer breakin' his heart."

Beth was taken aback. "Excuse me?" She said.

Gretta turned to face her with her hands on her hips. "Ya need ta try an' remember soon because this whole thang is killin' him. It's killin' me ta watch it."

Beth simply stood there, staring at the girl like she had two heads. This was not what she had expected at all. "I don't think I quite understand." Beth frowned.

Gretta sighed. "Try ta keep up, would ya? Daryl. Ya need ta try harder ta remember him!"

"I don't think you quite understand how memory loss works. I'm not even sure that _I_ understand. But I do know that it's not that easy. I can't just snap my fingers and make everything go back to the way it was." She found herself growing a little angry at this girl. _Who did she think she was anyway?_

"Yer not tryin'! Ya should be spendin' all yer time with him. I seen ya kiss Rick on tha cheek tha other day! Listen, Daryl means a lot ta me and I'm not goin' ta stand here an' watch you hurt him like that."

Beth sputtered a little as she tried to wrap her mind around everything the girl was saying. The fact that she was being lectured by someone who was probably no older than thirteen didn't escape her either. She was sensing a lot of hostility coming from the girl. She felt angry tears welling up in her eyes and she tried to blink them back. She didn't want the girl to see her cry.

"I'm doing the _best_ that I can. Maybe if everyone around here would _lay off_ a little bit then my memory might come back! Although at this point, I'm not sure I _want_ it back!" Beth yelled. She heard a noise over her shoulder and turned to find Daryl standing there with a confused expression on his face. His eyes scanned back and forth between the two of them before he frowned.

"What tha _hell_ is goin' on here?" He asked.

Beth swiped at her eyes and shot Gretta a glare. "Why don't you ask _her?_" She bit out before turning and walking quickly away.

...

Daryl crossed his arms and stared at Gretta while he waited for some kind of explanation to the scene he had just stumbled upon. He had been coming to find Beth and see if she wanted to eat some lunch with him when he had spotted the two of them by the fence. He had only caught the tail end of the conversation but it was enough for him to see Beth yelling at Gretta. It was unlike Beth to yell unless provoked so now he was waiting for Gretta to explain to him what was going on.

"Well?" He asked impatiently.

Gretta swallowed and turned to look out of the fence. "I was jus' tryin' ...I was jus' tryin' ta make her see that she's killin' ya!" Gretta finally spit out.

"What are ya talkin' 'bout?" He asked. He was confused now. He thought things were moving in a slightly positive direction with their relationship and he was far from being as sad about it as he had first been.

"What is it with you people? I've watched ya follow her 'round like a lost pup an' she doesn't even seem ta see it! Yer not the same since this happened! Ya deserve better that's all." Her voice trailed off and Daryl could tell she was on the verge of tears. He didn't want tears. Any kind of crying always made him uneasy. He still couldn't figure out why Gretta had seen fit to jump into the whole situation. He hadn't even been around her much lately except for in passing. Then he got it. _She was jealous_. That had to be it. He hadn't hardly spent any time at all with her since the accident and she must be jealous because all of his time was spent focusing on Beth.

His features softened slightly as he knelt down so that he could be more on her level. "Hey. I ain't goin' nowhere ya know. We still buddies, you an' me. I jus' got a lot ta deal with right now," He played with a twig on the ground as he talked. "Can I tell ya a secret?"

Gretta finally looked over and met his gaze. He could tell she was intrigued and finally she grudgingly nodded. "I guess."

Daryl held back a smile. "Beth might be pregnant. I need her ta remember so that we can pick up where we left off. But she's tryin'. I weren't givin' her no credit either but it's kinda scary fer her ta not remember nothin'. Heather said it takes time fer these things an' we can't push or it could set her back."

Gretta uncrossed her arms and her lip as she contemplated this. "I s'pose I mighta been a lil' harsh." She muttered.

Daryl nodded. "Maybe later when she's calmed down ya can 'pologize to 'er?"

Gretta nodded glumly. "Are ya scared ta be a daddy?" She asked suddenly.

That caught Daryl off guard. He had been for a while when he and Beth had gotten into their argument but now he didn't know. He supposed he was. He hadn't had a lot of positive role models in his life that he could draw inspiration from. He liked to think that he might be as good as Rick seemed to be with Carl and Judith now that he had gotten his act together more, but he didn't know. Somewhere deep inside of him he could hear his own daddy calling him a "fuck up" or an "accident". He knew he didn't want that kind of life for his own kid.

He chewed on his thumb for a few moments. "I dunno kid. I guess I am a lil'. I ain't never had much ta call my own in this world. A kid is a whole 'nother ballgame."

...

Beth walked through the library slowly, pausing every few minutes to run her fingers over some of the books. She wasn't sure exactly why she had come here when she had been upset but she had spotted it on the way to her room and here she was. There was something comforting about the books and the smell of the pages and bindings. She felt herself slowly calming down as she perused the shelves. She didn't hear him approach behind her until she rounded a corner and there he was, leaning against the shelves. She was momentarily startled, but she hid it quickly as she studied him.

He looked more relaxed than he had a few days ago. He turned his head and their eyes met. She felt a spark of heat deep in her gut and she wondered if he had always been able to do that to her. She continued at her slow leisurely pace until she came to a stop just in front of him. He reached out a rough hand to cup her cheek and she instantly leaned into his touch. She didn't think much about it as the pad of his thumb stroked her cheek.

"Come ta check on ya." He said gruffly.

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I'm alright. I'm sorry for yelling at you like that. I guess Gretta just had some things to get off her chest and it caught me off guard. Is she related to you in some kind of way?"

He smirked. "Nah. She ain't been with our group as long. Weird though. You'd think we was related, much as she acts like me. I'm sorry she was rough on ya."

Beth shrugged. "I guess I deserved it."

Daryl frowned. "No ya didn't. That was wrong o' her. She was jus' jealous that I was spendin' all my free time with ya an' I hadn't been payin' 'er no mind. She's okay now."

His thumb changed course and began to stroke soft circles under her ear. It was very distracting. "You don't understand. I should have been nicer to you this whole time. You were only trying to help. I can't imagine if our situations were reversed and it was you who lost your memory. I could have been more receptive to you but instead I've been questioning everything. It's weird. Part of me can tell that I d_o_ belong here, but I just don't remember _being_ here."

"I've been pushin' ya too hard. That's one thing ya gonna find out 'bout me. I fuck up a lot. I ain't great when it comes ta relationships. This is tha first one I ever had an' look how old I am. I ain't good with emotions either an' it's takin' some doin' ta get ta where I am today. I owe a lot o' that ta you. And now with this...well we've jus' got ta get ya better so we can talk 'bout some other things." He said.

"You mean the baby?"

Startled, Daryl dropped his hand. "Did you...?" His eyes searched hers.

She shook her head. "I didn't remember. Heather told me this morning. She said I had discussed the possibility with her before the accident. As far as I know, she's the only one who knows. She's supposed to tell me when it's time to take the test."

Daryl's expression fell slightly. "Ya okay with this? The possibility that we might be bringin' a lil' one inta tha world?"

Beth turned away slightly and glanced out of the window to the yard below. Several members of the group were walking back and forth and she could see people going in and out of the mess hall. Her stomach growled slightly as she realized how hungry she was.

"I think..." She paused and bit her lip before turning back to him. "I think I would like to have a baby with you."

Daryl let out a breath and she watched his face relax a little. He reached out and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "That affected me more 'an I thought it would." He whispered.

She snuggled into his chest. "Me too."

...

****AN: Hello lovelies! I hope none of you are too mad with Gretta right now. She's just having a hard time coming to terms with this new Beth and the accident. She and Daryl have a strong bond and she's still got a lot of kid in her, so she kind of blew up a little at Beth. I don't think she fully understands the whole memory loss situation. She's just trying to protect Daryl. I hope I conveyed that enough in this chapter. I don't want any of you to be mad with her. Anyway, loving the reviews! I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter! Thanks for sticking with me! You guys are SO SO SO awesome! Much love! :)**


	65. Chapter 65

****AN: It's a short chapter, but I'm sure you'll forgive me. ;) More notes at the end...**

**...**

It had been three days since Gretta had confronted Beth. She had eventually apologized and Beth had accepted her apology. She was aware of Gretta watching her from time to time but she kept her mouth shut and tried to establish some sort of routine. The men were almost finished with the barracks and most days they worked sun-up to sun-down trying to get it done faster.

Daryl still slept in the room with her at night, but he had gone back to the floor. She supposed that he was trying to give her space, but she was craving his touch ever since that first time. Well it hadn't exactly been their _first_ time but since she couldn't remember all the other times, it might as well have been their first.

She was laying in bed now, waiting on him to enter the room. As soon as she heard the familiar thud of his boots outside the door she rolled over, pretending to be asleep. She didn't want him to know that she had waited up for him. She wasn't sure why she didn't, but she didn't. She heard the door click open and then it was silent. She opened her eyes a peek and spotted him over by the door, taking off his clothes. She felt sneaky watching him when he didn't know it, but she couldn't help herself. He toed off his boots and then unzipped his jeans and slid them down. She held her breath as he slipped his shirt off and tossed all of his clothing into the corner of the room. She squeezed her eyes back shut and tried to relax her breathing as he turned around.

She heard him switch off the lamp and then he paused. She could barely make out the slight shuffling of his pillow and blanket and then all was quiet again. She lay there for a few minutes, her body aching for his touch, but too embarassed to ask for it. She wished she knew how they used to do things. Surely, she had gotten some level of experience by now. She shifted and opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling in the dark.

"I knew ya was playin' possum." His voice spoke out from the dark.

She gasped and sat up in the bed. The room was so dark that she couldn't tell exactly where he was. "I was not." She whispered.

There was only silence. Then she felt the faintest touch of his finger on her bare leg that was sticking out from under the covers. She swallowed as his rough fingers glided up her leg, stopping at her thigh. She could only lay there and hope that he took pity on her. He took one finger and swirled it around on her thigh in lazy circles. Her insides quivered and she felt herself growing moist with need. He traced his lazy circles for a few minutes and then his hand slid up another inch until his finger barely grazed the edge of her panties. She was only wearing one of his shirts and her panties because it was far more comfortable than wearing lots of clothes and her shirts weren't nearly big enough to cover her underwear.

She was pretty sure she was going to catch on fire before he finished whatever it was that he was doing to her. Just the one finger was driving her absolutely mad and she slowly fisted her hands in the sheets to keep still. She was scared that if she moved he would stop. Then he did stop and she had to bite her lip to keep from groaning her frustration. Except he didn't remove his hand from its current location. He left it there, the weight of it on her thigh threatening to destroy her sanity. Then he shifted, and his finger stroked down her slit through the outside of her panties. She did release a moan that time, no longer being able to hold it in.

Slowly his fingers teased the lining of her panties and then his finger slipped underneath them to play with her soft curls. She clenched the sheets tighter.

"Daryl." She panted.

She felt his other hand slide softly up her shirt and glide across her stomach to her breasts. Hitching in a breath, she bucked her hips up against his other hand that rested over her center. His fingers grazed her nipple and then he rolled it between his fingers lightly. She let out another moan as the fire burned in her belly. She couldn't even form coherent thoughts anymore and she arched her back in an attempt to seek out some relief from his assault. He slipped one finger between her folds and she heard his sharp intake of breath. He paused and she felt his body tense next to hers on the bed.

"Daryl?" She breathed.

"Jus' need a damn minute." He growled.

She smiled and backed away from his hand so that she could crawl to her knees. She didn't care that she hadn't had an orgasm yet; she wanted to taste him _now_. She took him off guard and managed to knock him onto his back on the bed. She straddled him and rubbed her hands across his muscled abs. She slid back slightly so that she could kiss him and found herself seated directly onto his erection. His shaft came to rest directly against her wetness and she paused as shivers rolled through her body. She rocked lightly back and forth, enjoying the friction. His hands shot out to grip the backs of her thighs and he held her still.

"So help me God, I'm gonna blow my load right now if'n ya don't stop." He muttered.

"Sorry." She whispered.

He groaned and hooked his thumbs behind her head to bring her lips down to his. The kiss was hot, his tongue tangling with hers, scorching her with its heat. He broke away a few moments later.

"Fuck." He whispered.

She nodded. "Yes please." He chuckled briefly beneath her.

"Weren't no question. It was a fuckin' statement." He growled and flipped her over so fast she barely had time to react. He pulled away from her momentarily to shed himself of his boxers and he hooked his fingers into her panties before yanking them down. She heard a swishing sound as they flew through the air to land somewhere on the other side of the room.

He entered her with a swift thrust, only pausing long enough to give her a minute to adjust. Her body responded instantly and she wrapped her legs around his waist to draw him in closer. He thrust again and then pulled out. She gasped.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Ya brought this damn Karma Sutra book an' we was tryin' out positions. I jus' remembered another one I wanted ta try. Get up a second." He said gruffly.

She moved over and he sat down and scooted over until his back was against the wall. Then he reached out his hand and grabbed hers, pulling her over him so that she was straddling him again. With firm hands, he guided her down onto his length and they both let out a moan as he slid inside of her again. She didn't know if it was the position or the depth, but every stroke had her body stretched out like the strings on a violin. She was face to face with him and with every stroke, her breasts bounced up directly into his face. He buried his face into her neck and sucked on her flesh gently. She felt like she was on the verge of a high cliff waiting to be pushed off.

"Please remember fer me. Please." He whispered against her neck.

Just those words were the push she needed and she tightened against him, crying out loudly as she rocked so hard, he had to wrap his arms around her back to hold her upright. Somewhere in the midst of her euphoria, she heard him grunt and then he was spilling his seed inside of her. She collapsed against him, totally shaken, her body still pulsing slightly around him.

They were both silent for several moments as they tried to catch their breath. She laid her head on his chest and she could feel the pounding of his heart, much like the beating of her own.

"I forgot ta use protection." He said suddenly.

Her heart stopped for a brief moment and then she decided that it didn't matter. She had already decided that she wanted this baby, _his baby_, so it didn't matter.

"It's okay. I want to have your baby Daryl. I...I love you." Her voice was full of emotion and she could feel tears prick at the corner of her eyes. He lifted her face in the dark room and brought her close to his, so close that she could feel his warm breath on her lips.

"I dunno what kinda daddy I'll be, but I do know that I'll do everythin' in my power ta protect ya forever." His words reverberated through her soul and the tears spilled over as she wrapped herself around him, clinging for dear life. They fell asleep some time later, still joined together and wrapped around each other.

...

****AN: Even I got hot and bothered writing this steamy love scene for these two! Whew! Had to go and fix me a bowl of ice cream and cry because it isn't real! HAHAHA! **

**Drop me a review if you feel so inclined. Let me know I'm not all alone with my ice cream here. ;)**

**Thanks!**


	66. Chapter 66

****AN: Sorry it's been a few days since the last update. I had to finish working on another one of my fics. I wanted to get it completed before I moved back to these. This is a short chapter and I'm sorry. I've got an awful headache at the moment and I'm a little tired so I think I'm going to go rest. I did want to get this chapter out for you all though since you've all been so wonderful with your reviews! I hope after some rest, I can jump back into things and get my others fics updated. I'm also looking for story ideas that are somewhat different than what I already have going on so if anyone has any that they would like to see me write, feel free to share. I'm not going to promise I'll use them, but I will think about them. I'm currently tossing around some ideas, but I really do want something different. Anyways, enough of my rambling! I hope you enjoy this one!**

**...**

A few days later Heather sent for Beth and together they went into the infirmary where Heather gave Beth the pregnancy test she had. She smiled at Beth warmly and Beth tried to return the smile but it didn't quite meet her eyes.

She was nervous. She wasn't exactly sure _why_ she was nervous, but she was. It was easy to just pretend that everything was great when you didn't know the outcome yet. Now that she would know for sure whether or not she was pregnant, there was no turning back. If she was, she figured they would both be excited. If not well, she wasn't really sure what would happen. Maybe they were both crazy for wanting a kid in this world. Granted, she didn't have all of her memories of this new world like everyone else, but she had had plenty of time to study it lately. Part of her wanted this baby and wanted it badly. Another part of her was terrified. Having a baby for the first time in a world without proper medical equipment and doctors made her nervous. She had heard what had happened to Rick's wife Lori after having Judith. She didn't want that to happen to her.

She set the stick on the small counter and waited. The instructions in the box had said to wait about ten minutes for the most accurate reading. She leaned against the wall and tried to focus her thoughts elsewhere. Time seemed to be going slowly and she fidgeted with the compass in her pocket as she waited.

Daryl didn't know yet that she was taking the test. He had already left the room that morning before Heather had come to get her. She had traveled straight from her room to the infirmary. Things with Daryl seemed to be going pretty good. He was very gentle with her and she was beginning to see why she had fallen for him now. He had taken to sleeping in the bed with her now instead of on the floor. He didn't make any moves to have sex with her again; he just held her in his arms while they slept. She found out that she slept a lot better when curled up next to him. She wondered if it was because her body had subconsciously already been used to doing it before she had lost her memory.

She had talked to Heather some more about her memory, but Heather didn't have much that she could tell her. She had never had any experiences with anyone who had suffered from memory loss. Neither of them had any idea of what would happen if her memory _did_ return. At this point, she wasn't even sure that her memory _was_ coming back. Heather had told her that it could probably still go either way, that the human body was amazing like that. She wondered if it did come back, would she remember everything or would there still be blank spots in her memory?

There was a knock at the door. "Everything okay?" Heather's muffled voice called from the other side.

Beth let out a deep breath. It was time. "Just a second!" She called. She pushed off from the wall and peered over at the stick.

...

Daryl smoked a cigarette as he wandered through the barracks. They had finally finished the walls and although there were no doors, at least everyone had their own space now. He figured some of the women would probably get bored and hang up sheets or something over the doorways. They had managed to get up enough walls to make six rooms. They were on the smaller side, but something was better than nothing in his opinion. Now all that they had left was to move the beds back inside and then they would finally be done with their project.

"It looks pretty good in here. We did a good job." Rick's voice spoke up from behind him.

Daryl didn't respond for a few moments. Things between he and Rick had been a little tense since Daryl had gotten pissed at him for something that Rick hadn't had any control over to begin with. He knew it wasn't actually Rick's fault that Beth had kissed him on the cheek. He also knew he had been stubborn. He should have talked to Rick about it already, but he hadn't. He would like to believe it was because he hadn't had the time to talk to him, but he knew that was a lie. He had been busy, but he hadn't been _that_ busy. He missed his friend. Rick was a really good friend to him, like a brother almost. He hadn't deserved Daryl going off on him like that.

"Rick..." Daryl began. Rick reached out to place a hand on Daryl's shoulder, cutting off his attempt to talk. The gesture was a comforting one and one that Rick had used many times over the years.

"You don't have to say anything Daryl. It's perfectly fine." Rick said.

Daryl sighed. Leave it to Rick to know exactly what had been on his mind. "It ain't fine. I was outta line, an' I'm sorry." Daryl mumbled.

Rick removed his hand and nodded. "No harm done. I'm just glad things are going better now. Any word about you know what?"

Daryl had told Rick a while back about the possibility of a baby. He hadn't really intended on telling anyone, but for some reason when he had opened his mouth, the words had just come pouring out of him. Rick had understood as usual and offered comfort in that way he had. He assured Daryl that Beth had a much better chance of having her baby here with no problems than if they were still at the prison.

Daryl wasn't so sure about that though. He would have felt much better with Hershel still around. Heather seemed to do okay and everyone really seemed to like her, but he didn't know much about her medical skills. He knew that Carol had faint knowledge of some things that Hershel had shown her, but he worried still about how much of that knowledge she still retained. That had been a long time ago.

He chewed on the flesh around his thumb worriedly. "Nah, no word yet. Beth's supposed ta come find me when she knows somethin'." He said.

They both turned as the door to the barracks opened and Beth stuck her head in. His heart began beating frantically in his chest at the sight of her. She met his eyes and he could tell something was on her mind. Rick looked between the both of them.

"You two obviously have some things to talk about, so I'll leave you uh, to it." Rick turned to Daryl. "I'll be around if you need to find me later."

Daryl nodded. He knew Rick would want to know the outcome. Daryl himself was dying to know the outcome. He was pretty sure that was why Beth had come for him. He wished he could tell by her expression what had happened, but she kept her face carefully blank. She smiled at Rick and he nodded at her as he brushed past them and exited the building, shutting the door behind him. Daryl's palms felt sweaty as he waited for Beth to take a few steps closer to him. He wiped his palms on his pants and then began biting at his thumb again.

...

"I took the test." Beth said.

She watched as Daryl nodded and then he looked at her expectantly, his thumb being worked over by his teeth nervously. Beth wasn't sure of the best way to come out and say it. From the look on his face, he had been thinking about it a lot too.

"Well?" He asked gruffly.

She fiddled with her hair for a few moments and then glanced down at her feet. "I'm not pregnant." She muttered.

She heard his sharp intake of breath, but she couldn't look up. She didn't want to see his reaction. If he was disappointed, she would be too. If he was happy, she would be devastated. She had so many emotions swirling inside of her that she really wasn't even sure what she was feeling at that exact moment.

Finally she felt his finger touch her under her chin and he lifted her face up to his. She studied his expression, and found that his face was blank. She wasn't sure what to think about that. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes and she wasn't quite sure why she was crying.

He frowned. "Why ya cryin'?"

She sniffed and wiped at her tears. "I don't know." She mumbled.

Daryl chuckled and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. "Y'all women is crazy. Y'all never seem ta know why ya cry. There's gotta be a reason."

She felt comforted by his arms around her and she breathed in his scent. "I guess I'm a little unsure of how I feel. Now that I know I'm not, I'm kind of disappointed. Are you disappointed?" She sniffed and looked up at him.

He stared down at her for several minutes before responding. "I dunno. I figured if it didn't happen this time, we could always try again."

She stared up at him, trying to judge if he was really serious or just trying to make her feel better. She nodded thoughtfully. "So you would want to try again?" She whispered.

He shrugged. "I s'pose I'm up for whatever you decide. Might be nice ta have a lil' thing that look like you, runnin' round tha place. If not, then jus' me an' you together is nice too."

She grinned. "You are amazing, you know that? How did I get so lucky as to end up with you?" She kissed his cheek.

Daryl blushed bright red and stepped away from her gently. "'Nough o' this sappy talk. Let's go an' find us somethin' ta eat. Ya hungry?"

Beth smiled and fell into step beside him. "Starving."


	67. Chapter 67

****AN: Hello everyone! Got a little tidbit of a chapter for you here. It's not much this time, but it's something and I figure as usual, that's better than nothing. I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks for reading! :)**

The next week passed by quickly with everyone attempting to get settled into their new rooms. They weren't luxury accomodations, but no one complained because at least they had a bed and they had some privacy.

Daryl was glad to be done with it, but at the same time he now had nothing to do with his time. Sure there were the day to day activities, but nothing that required lots of time and effort. He was usually done with whatever needed to be done on his end in a fairly short amount of time. He could feel himself growing restless and he knew that he needed to get outside of the gates a bit.

He had decided that morning that he was going to get outside of the fences and go hunting. He hadn't been in a while and they could use the fresh meat to keep from using up all of their canned good supply. Pretty soon the garden would start producing fresh vegetables for them, but until then they relied solely on what he caught and their supply of canned food. He shouldered his crossbow and went in search of Rick to let him know where he was going.

He found him near the pond they had dug talking with Carol. Their heads were bent close together and they were sharing a laugh about something. Daryl hesitated, torn between breaking up their conversation and just walking away to let someone else know where he was going. He shrugged and figured they weren't kissing so it was okay to interrupt them. He stepped forward and finally caught Rick's eye. He noticed that Rick took a minute before pulling himself away from his spot next to Carol. She whispered something in his ear and he laughed softly and touched her arm affectionately before closing the space between Daryl and him.

"What's up?" Rick asked.

Daryl smirked. "Should be askin' ya the same thing."

Rick's face turned a slight shade of red. "Screw you." He muttered with a chuckle.

"I'm goin' out ta hunt for a bit. Jus' thought I'd let ya know where I was gon' be." Daryl said.

Rick nodded. "Alright. We could definitely use some fresh meat around here. When ya coming back?"

Daryl shrugged. "I figure by dark at the latest. Maybe earlier. Depends on how it goes." He turned his head and his attention fell on Gretta who was sitting off to herself looking glum. He suddenly had an idea. "I'm takin' Gretta with me." He added.

Rick turned to follow his gaze. "You sure?"

Daryl nodded. "Yeah. Kid needs some fresh air."

Rick nodded and clapped a hand on his back. "Okay then. See you when you get back."

"Don't do nuthin' I wouldn't do." Daryl called out over his shoulder.

Rick snorted. "And that leaves me with what exactly?" Daryl chuckled and kept going.

...

He walked over to where Gretta was sitting on the ground playing with a few blades of grass. It appeared as if she had been at it for a while judging by the size of her little collection. He tapped the edge of her boot with his. She looked up and then back down at her grass pile, but didn't say anything.

"Come on, let's go." He said.

She looked up at him again, squinting because of the bright sun. "Where we goin'?"

He sighed. "Is I gotta tell ya everythin'? Get yer ass in gear! Unless ya wanna sit out here playin' with ya little grass pile some more?"

Gretta narrowed her eyes. "Screw you. I'm comin'!" She replied. He caught the hint of a smile before she stood up and turned away to grab her little crossbow.

She followed him to the gates where Mike let them out with a nod and a wave. For once there weren't any walkers waiting at the gate and Daryl wondered if it was because there just weren't any or that Mike had taken care of them already. He set off down the street and they entered into another wooded area where Daryl hoped he would be able to find some game.

"So we goin' huntin' then?" Gretta piped up from behind him.

He smirked. "Yer observant fer a girl."

She snorted. "I jus' figured I'd double check. Didn't know if ya still remembered how ta shoot that bow, been so long since ya used it." She retorted.

That was better. Now she was like her old self again. He had seen her moping around lately and he wasn't quite sure what was wrong with her. He figured if he took her out to the woods with him to hunt she might snap out of it a bit. He couldn't stand to see her all mopey.

"I can outshoot ya anyday." He taunted.

She huffed. "Wanna make a bet?"

This was interesting. Daryl knew he could very well outshoot the girl, but he was willing to play along for a bit. He might even let her win. He was in a particularly good mood now that he was out in the wilderness. Things with him and Beth had been improving. She still didn't have her memory back, but they were growing closer and Daryl was just enjoying spending time with her in general.

"Name yer stakes." He said.

Gretta was silent a few minutes as they made their way further into the woods. He scanned the area while he waited on her to come up with something. Suddenly her face lit up. "I know! If I win you gotta take me on another huntin' trip next week."

That was easy enough. He shrugged. "Alright. An' if I win, ya gotta tell me whatcha was so sad about back there."

She was quiet for several minutes and he thought she was going to object but instead she shrugged. "Fine."

They made there away around a dead tree that had fallen onto the ground and Daryl took down a walker that was ambling out in the distance. It had been too far away to be a threat but he didn't want to have to worry about it later. He spotted a squirrel a few feet away and put a finger to his lips as he exchanged a look with Gretta. He made signals indicating she should take first shot. She nodded and raised her bow. She took several seconds to steady herself and he watched as she bit down on her tongue as she aimed. Letting it fly, he watched as the bow hit the squirrel. He walked over and picked it up, the squirrel still struggling even with the arrow imbeded in it.

"Ya shot it in tha ass." Daryl remarked.

Gretta laughed. "I know." She replied. Daryl chuckled and shook his head as he finished the little thing off. She started walking off as he tied the squirrel to his belt. "Let's see ya d-" Her voice was cut off and he heard a snap as she started screaming. Straightening, he quickly scanned the area for threats but saw none. She was on the other side of a tree and she was lying on the ground holding her leg. Daryl couldn't see any walkers around anywhere. He crossed the few feet to where she was and paused. There was a bear trap clamped around her leg and her leg was beginning to pour blood. He could see the teeth of the claw digging into her pants, leaving dots of blood to swell up and trail down her leg. He immediately dropped to his knees, doing another scan to make sure they weren't about to have company. Gritting his teeth he tried to pry the jaws open but she screamed harder and he had to stop.

She was crying and her whole body was trembling. Daryl knew he had to get the clamp off of her leg. She was losing too much blood and he needed to get her back to Heather. He didn't want to hurt her, but at this point he didn't see any other way. He couldn't take her back with the thing still clamped to her, that would cause her even more pain.

"I gotta take this clamp off okay? It's gonna hurt but it's gotta be done." Daryl told her.

She continued to sob but finally it reduced itself to sniffling and big shaking breaths. She nodded. "It hurts." She whispered.

Daryl didn't know what to do. He wished he could take the pain away from her. She didn't deserve this. He cast her another look and then he went back to the clamp. Grimacing with the effort, he began bending the teeth apart. "I need ya ta move yer leg when I tell ya okay?" He gritted between clenched teeth. A slight whimper was all he heard in response and he took that to be her agreement. He pulled the teeth back a little more until he felt she could safely move her leg. "Now!" He cried.

She moaned in pain but finally succeeded in dragging her leg out of the clamp and Daryl let go of it, watching as it slammed back closed again. He shouldered his bow and hers and gently scooped her up into his arms. She lay there limp and bleeding as he turned around to head back out of the woods. He hoped that she wouldn't lose too much blood and that Heather could get her patched up. He felt like the whole thing was his fault. If he had been watching her instead of joking with her about that stupid squirrel then he might have spotted the bear trap before she could step into it. He glanced down at her face once as he neared the edge and saw that she had went stark-white and had passed out. He muttered curses under his breath but decided that that was probably the best thing for her right now. He continued on as fast as he could, trying to ignore the trail of blood that they were leaving behind them.

****Side Note: I started a new fic called "A Tale of Two Dixons", if anyone is interested. It will eventually have most of the group involvement but right now it's focused on Daryl/Merle and there is an OC. If you're interested, check it out. If not, that's okay too. Thanks for reading! :)**


	68. Chapter 68

****AN: Sorry about the wait on this chapter! I had some thinking to do about it first. Hopefully the next one won't take as long! Thanks for hanging with me. The reviews have been great! I enjoyed seeing how much you all love Gretta. That makes me feel good seeing as how she's just someone I made up. Truth be told, I love her too! Hopefully, this chapter helps some. I'll be working on the next one soon. As always, reviews are love! Enjoy! :)**

**...**

When Daryl finally made it to the fences he was sweating and out of breath. Carl and Jacob were at the gate when he ran up.

"Open tha damn door!" He cried.

Carl and Jacob both ran over to unlock the gate, casting wide-eyed glances at Daryl and a very passed out pale looking Gretta. She hadn't stirred the whole way back and Daryl wasn't even sure she was still with him. He had been too scared to check her pulse, being more focused on getting her back as quick as possible.

"What happened?" Carl asked as Daryl brought her inside.

"Bear trap. Need Heather." Daryl replied as he kept on walking. He forced himself to jog over into the courtyard where he caught the attention of Carol and Maggie. Carol smiled at him and then gasped as she saw the limp bundle in his arms.

"Daryl! Is she-" Carol asked.

Daryl shook his head. "I dunno. I need Heather."

"She was just out at the barracks talking to Mike." Maggie commented. "I'll go get her. Take her to the infirmary."

Daryl nodded and began making his way over there, Carol following behind him. She held the door open and he slid inside with her, careful to keep from hitting her on the door frame. Carol motioned to the examination table and Daryl carefully laid her upon it before letting her go. He was out of his element here. He didn't know what to do for her, but he did know he couldn't stand to look at her like that. She didn't look like Gretta. She looked frail and sickly.

Carol pushed past him and began taking Gretta's pants off. She turned to him. "Can you fill this bowl up in the bathroom?" She asked.

Daryl numbly grabbed the bowl and went to the small bathroom to fill it up. He set it on the table next to Carol just as Heather rushed in with Maggie two steps behind her. She took one look at Gretta and turned to Daryl.

"What happened?" She demanded.

"Bear trap." Daryl replied.

She hurried over to Gretta and the room was suddenly a flurry of activity. Daryl felt overwhelmed and completely useless as Heather called out commands to the two women. He slipped outside of the door, bent over and breathing in deep gulps of air. He felt that familiar hand fall upon his shoulder and Rick helped him to stand up shakily.

"What's happened? Carl said something about Gretta being hurt." Rick asked.

Daryl nodded, unsure anymore if he could speak. If anything happened to the girl, he would never forgive himself. "Bear trap," He repeated for what felt like the hundredth time. "I should...shoulda been watchin' 'er more." Daryl mumbled.

"Hey, it could have happened with any one of us. You can't blame yourself for this." Rick told him. Daryl shrugged his hand off and began walking towards the cafeteria in a daze. "Daryl?" Rick called after him, but Daryl didn't reply.

He kept on walking and then went inside of the cafeteria to the kitchen. He knew that Carol had hidden a couple of bottles of wine in the pantry that she was saving for a special occasions. He rummaged inside of the room until he located the bottles and grabbed one of them off of the shelf. Unscrewing the cap, he slid down to the floor and lifted the bottle to his lips. He grimaced at the tart taste, but kept drinking until he could feel his panic dying down.

_"Yer jus' like ole Merle brotha. Yer always gon' be a Dixon." _Merle's voice taunted him in his head. He lifted the bottle more, trying to drown out the sound.

"Shut up." He mumbled.

_"That lil' girl's gon' die brotha an' it's all yer fault."_

Daryl scowled and downed the rest of the bottle in one big gulp. His hands tightened into fists. He hadn't meant for the girl to step into the trap.

_"First ya let ya woman get caught an' lose 'er memory, an' now ya let tha lil' girl get 'er leg chopped off. Ya slippin' brotha. Ya ain't gon' be tha hero no more." _

"Her leg ain't chopped off an' I never was a hero." Daryl growled to the empty room. He could hear Merle laughing at him and he threw the bottle against the door frame as hard as he could. It shattered and pieces of broken glass went everywhere. He blindly reached behind him for the other bottle and began drinking that one down seconds later.

...

Beth woke up from her nap and stretched lazily. She couldn't remember why she had taken a nap in the middle of the day, but clearly she had. She sat up and located her boots before shoving her feet into them. She was going to find Daryl today and demand that they talk about this baby business. She didn't know if she could be pregnant or not, but she needed to work this out with him. She exited the building and looked towards the barracks, expecting to see the men out there working. All was quiet except for several people crowded near the infirmary. Frowning and wondering what was going on, she headed over to find out.

Rick, Glenn, and Tyreese were standing just outside the door. She walked over to them curiously. She figured something bad must be going on considering they were pacing around outside. She didn't see Daryl and her pulse raced a little at the thought that something might have happened to him while she had been napping.

"Hey what's going on?" She asked. All three of the men exchanged glances before Rick stepped forward. Beth started to grow worried at their expressions.

Rick ran a hand through his hair. "There was an accident. Gretta stepped into a bear trap while her and Daryl were out. He managed to get it open and he carried her all the way back here. They think her leg is broken and they're all in there trying to figure out if they can fix it. She's lost a lot of blood."

Beth's heart went out to the poor girl. She was confused though. "Wait. Why were Gretta and Daryl out? I thought you guys were working on the barracks? Where is Daryl?" She asked.

Rick appeared confused by her confusion. "What are you talking about? Didn't Daryl tell you where he was going this morning?"

Beth shook her head. "No. We aren't really talking right now." She blushed. Rick still appeared confused as did Glenn and Tyreese, who were still standing behind them. "Where is Daryl?" She demanded.

Rick pointed at the cafeteria. "Last I saw him, he was headed into there. Just to warn you though, he's in a mood." Rick replied.

Beth nodded. "It's okay. He's got a lot going on. I know how to handle him though. I'll be back to check on Gretta." She turned and walked towards the cafeteria. She wasn't surprised that Daryl hadn't said anything to her about going hunting. They weren't exactly talking these days, but she was getting ready to put a stop to that _right now._

...

Daryl had a better understanding of why Merle had always drank so much now. It was much easier to think about Gretta when he was numb. It didn't hurt so bad now. In fact, he wasn't bothered by anything at the moment. He really didn't care about anything at the moment. He felt warm and he looked around the room. _Why am I in a closet?_ He heard footsteps and then someone called his name. He grunted in response and stared at the door.

The door opened up all of the way and Merle appeared in the doorway. He stood there looking at him for several minutes.

"Merle? Ain't ya dead?" Daryl slurred. He tried to focus on Merle's image but it was blurry and it kept moving. He groaned and held his head in his hands.

"I'm not Merle. I'm Beth. What are you doing Daryl? Have you been drinking?" Beth's voice called to him.

He glanced up and Merle was indeed gone, having been replaced by Beth. He looked around the room to see where Merle had disappeared to, but he couldn't find him anywhere.

"I fucked up." Daryl muttered.

"I don't understand Daryl. You don't drink like this. Is it because of Gretta? Or is it because of our fight?"

Suddenly her face appeared in front of his and he leaned back a few inches in surprise. She was so beautiful. It was too bad he kept screwing everything up. Merle was right. If Gretta died, they would blame him. They might even make him leave. He lifted his hand and tried to touch Beth's cheek except he landed somewhere on her shoulder.

"Yer so beautiful, ya know that?" His words came out slightly muffled. His tongue felt thick in his mouth and he realized that his mouth was dry. He lifted the bottle clumsily to his lips but Beth swiped it out of his hands.

"Oh no, you've had enough Dixon." She commented.

He chuckled and reached his hands out to make a grab for her. "Come Angel, let's christen tha closet. We can do som'more them karma surtra moves." He laughed bitterly.

"Daryl. I think you've had too much to drink. We need to get you back to the room. I'm going to get help and I'll be right back. There's broken glass on the floor so _don't_ _move_."

He saluted her and slumped back against the shelves as she left the room.

...

Carl was the first person she ran into as she left the mess hall. She made a grab for his arm. "Carl!" She hissed.

He turned around in surprise. "Hey Beth."

"I need your help with Daryl. Can you help me move him to our room?"

Carl looked towards the infirmary and then back at her. He shrugged. "Sure. What's wrong with him? I just saw him a while ago."

She didn't respond and pulled him back towards the room where Daryl was still thankfully slumped against the shelves, snoring softly now. Carl raised a brow as he surveyed the room. It reeked of alcohol and there were glass shards all over the floor.

"What the hell happened?" Carl whispered.

She sighed. "He's drunk and utterly useless at the moment. I need some help getting him to bed so that he can sleep this off. Here, grab an arm and let's see if we can get him to stand."

Carl stood there for several more seconds, clearly trying to come to terms with Daryl being drunk before finally nodding. They each grabbed an arm and tugged for several minutes before stopping. Daryl wasn't budging and Beth was frustrated. She leaned down and lightly slapped Daryl across the face. Carl jumped back in surprise.

"Daryl Dixon, you better wake up and help us stand you up! I've got a good mind to leave your behind in this pantry!" Beth said angrily.

Daryl's eyes fluttered open and he stared at her for several seconds before smiling. He reached out a hand towards her face. "Hey Angel. Ya want ta fool 'round now?" He muttered.

Beth's face flamed and she was pretty sure she saw Carl's face turn a dark shade of red as well. She pushed Daryl's hand away and tried to focus on the task at hand. She tugged on his arm again. "Stand up!" She yelled.

Daryl finally began trying to get his feet under him enough to where she and Carl were able to drag him up. They each got one of Daryl's arms and slowly they were able to make their way to his room. It took a long time, but they finally managed to get him up the few steps and into the building where she directed Carl to deposit him into his room. She wasn't sure where he had been sleeping lately, but she knew it hadn't been with her. Carl looked at her oddly, but he didn't say anything as he helped her lay him down on the bed.

"I better get out there and check on Gretta." Carl muttered.

Beth turned to him and smiled. "Okay. I'll be there soon. Thanks Carl."

Carl nodded and exited the room, leaving her alone with a drunken Daryl. She sighed and began pulling off his boots one by one. She didn't know why he had decided to drink to this extreme but she knew she was going to question him about it when he slept it off. She set his boots to the side and went to work on the buttons of his shirt. She sighed as she worked the shirt off of each of his arms, finally revealing his bare chest that she loved so much. She placed her hand against his cheek and he sighed and turned towards her hand in his sleep. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his forehead before turning to leave the room. She needed to go check on Gretta and see how she was. She was a little confused about what was going on. Apparently, she had been asleep longer than she realized. She was determined to sort this little mess out though, casting one last glance at the man she loved snoring softly in the bed. She would let him sleep it off, but then they were going to have a little talk.

Whether he liked it or not.


	69. Chapter 69

****Notes to follow at the end.**

...

Beth watched as the women worked on Gretta who had come to once and had thrashed in pain so much that Rick had been called in to hold her down. Luckily she had passed out again soon after and now she seemed to be resting. Beth, Carl, Michonne, and Gabby were now waiting outside for Heather to come out so that they could see how Gretta was. Maggie, Carol, and Heather were all inside with her still and everyone else was off doing anything that needed to be done.

"I figured everyone would be working on the barracks. Are they taking a break?" Beth asked.

Michonne and Gabby exchanged a look with Carl who shrugged. "They're finished with the barracks Beth. They finished it a week ago." Michonne said carefully.

Beth frowned. "That's not possible. Just yesterday they were working on it. I remember because I stopped to watch them for a moment before I went to the guard shack to talk to Heather." She scratched her head. "Weird. I don't remember what I did after that though."

"Beth-" Gabby began but Michonne stopped her by putting her hand on her arm.

"I think we should wait for Heather." Michonne said carefully with a pointed look at Gabby and Carl.

Beth put her hands on her hips. "Alright. What's going on? Why were Gretta and Daryl out there in the first place?"

"They went hunting. Daryl took Gretta with him. All we know is that he came back some time after with a limp Gretta saying she stepped in a bear trap." Carl said.

Beth rubbed her head. "None of this makes sense." She jumped as Maggie opened the door and her and Carol came out. They both looked tired and were covered in splotches of blood. They had been in there for hours though so Beth imagined that it would be tiring.

"We set her leg. Heather made some kind of make-shift brace for it. Hopefully it heals back to where she can walk on it. She's cleaning her up now so she should be done in a minute. She's still pale and Heather is going to monitor her to see how she does tonight. She doesn't think that she lost enough blood to need a transfusion." Carol said.

"Hopefully she'll pull through this okay. We'll all be here for her and whatever she needs." Gabby said as she held tight to Michonne's hand.

"Maggie, Carol, can I talk to you both over here for a moment?" Michonne gestured to an area a few yards away.

Beth watched as the women walked away. She turned to look at Carl who was sitting there looking sad. She tapped his foot with hers. "You really like Gretta, don't you?" She asked. She hadn't ever paid much attention to it before, but now she could see it.

He blushed but nodded. "She's not so bad." He said.

"Carl!" Jacob yelled as he ran over to them. He stopped just in front of Carl and gave Beth a nod. "How is she?" He asked.

"I think she's going to be okay. They're done with her leg. Heather's going to watch her tonight." Carl said.

Jacob's face fell slightly and Beth could see the concern in both boys. "Can we see her?" He asked Beth.

"I'm not sure if you can right now or not. I know Heather is cleaning her up and I think she's probably still out of it. Why don't you guys drop by after dinner this evening?" She suggested.

They both nodded, although somewhat reluctantly, and ran off. Beth watched as the women walked back over to her. She knew something was up, but she wasn't sure what exactly. It wasn't like the group to keep things from her. The door opened and Heather exited before she could confront the women. Maggie grabbed Heather's arm before she could say anything and dragged her to the side. Beth watched Maggie's concerned face as she talked to Heather. Her sister looked stressed and as if she hadn't been sleeping very well.

After a few minutes, Heather and Maggie came back and Beth turned to find that the others had disappeared while she had been watching the two talk. She eyed the two women.

"I want to know what's going on and I want to know now." She demanded.

Heather nodded. "Let's walk girls." She said. Beth fell into step with them and they slowly made their way around the perimeter of the fence. It was several minutes before Heather spoke again. "I think I know what has happened here. Beth, you had an accident a few weeks back. You left the fence with Will to disable a car alarm that had gone off but we didn't know it had attracted a herd. Before you could make it back to the gate, a man knocked you out and took you from us. It took us a few days to get you back and when we did, we found out you had lost your memory due to the head injury. Apparently, you're confused because your memory is back, but you don't remember the events occuring right before and since your accident."

Beth stopped walking. "So you're telling me that I had lost everything? I didn't remember a_nything_?" Beth asked in disbelief. That didn't seem possible.

Maggie put her hand on Beth's shoulder. "You didn't remember anything Beth. Not me, not Dad, and not even your name."

Beth stared at her sister. No wonder her sister looked so exhausted. She couldn't imagine how hard that must have been on her. She thought about Daryl then. She could understand why he wanted to drink now. "And Daryl? I didn't remember Daryl either, did I?" She whispered, even though she already knew the answer.

Heather shook her head. "No honey. Not even Daryl. Although you two weren't arguing. You had actually started to grow closer with him again I believe."

This was a lot to take in at once. She found it hard to believe that she couldn't remember a_ny_ of it. "I guess I just don't understand how come I don't remember all of that when I remember everything else."

"The brain is very complex. I studied on what resources I had available to me here about memory loss, but it was very vague. I'm not sure if that piece of your life will ever come back to you, but at least you have your full memory back. We can fill in anything that might be neccessary but I honestly think you're better off not remembering most of it. You were a little traumatized so maybe your brain is trying to reject the memory." Heather said.

Beth glanced back and forth between the two. "The guy who attacked me didn't..." She couldn't finish the sentence.

"God, no! Or at least you said he didn't. I don't think you would have lied about that. He just wasn't a very nice man." Heather replied.

Beth stood there and Maggie pulled her in for a hug. After a few seconds, she hugged her sister back tightly. "I'm so glad you're back." Maggie whispered.

"Me too." Beth replied.

...

Daryl woke up feeling like someone had taken a hammer and beat him in the head with it. He groaned and tried to bury his head under the pillow. The light shining in the room was making his head throb. He reached over for Beth but she wasn't there and he pulled his head up to glance around through slitted eyes. He jumped as he noticed Heather leaning against the wall opposite of the bed. _His bed._ He frowned. _He was in his own room._

"Good. You're awake. I bet you feel like shit huh?" Heather asked.

Daryl winced. "Could ya talk a lil' lower?" He whispered gruffly.

He realized he was shirtless and quickly grabbed the sheet to pull over his body. Thankfully he had his pants on. He wondered how long she had been standing there and why she was standing there. Then he remembered.

"Gretta?" He asked.

"I think she's going to be okay. Carol is keeping an eye on her right now. I've got Beth in there helping her for me so I could sneak in here and talk to you." Heather dug into her pocket and pulled out a pill that she handed to him.

He squinted at it. "What is it?"

"It's something for that hell of a headache I'm sure that you have. Be grateful for it and don't ask questions." She handed him a bottle of water and watched as he popped the pill in his mouth and chased it down.

Daryl flopped back down on the bed. His head hurt a lot less if he didn't move. He focused on trying to stay absolutely still. "So that why ya come in here? Ta give me a pill?" He asked.

"No. I came to talk to you about Beth. You need to be prepared before you go outside of this room."

Daryl groaned. "What happened? Shit, how long I been out? Is she okay?" He would crawl in a hole and die if anything had happened to Beth again while he had slept off his drunken stupor. He couldn't handle Gretta a_nd_ Beth being hurt. He closed his eyes.

"She's fine," Heather paused. "She got her memory back." She watched him carefully.

He grew absolutely still as that information sank in. He opened his eyes and looked at Heather. "Why do I sense a but in there somewhere?"

She smiled lightly. "You're pretty observant to be hungover. Yes, there is a but. She doesn't remember the accident or anything after that up til now. Which means the last thing she remembers is the two of you arguing. She also doesn't know she's not pregnant. I didn't tell her yet, because I figured you could tell her. But I had to get to you first so that you didn't say something that would screw it all up and send her into some sort of meltdown."

Daryl sighed and threw an arm across his eyes. "So she's pissed at me?"

Heather stood up straight and inched her way to the door. "I didn't say that. I just said the last thing she remembers is the two of you arguing. She confided in me some things before all this happened. I think it was more that you were pissed at her after having unprotected sex and she felt hurt."

Daryl blushed at the mention of sex. He wasn't used to discussing such private things with others as if they were discussing the weather. He struggled to a sitting position, careful to keep the sheet over him. He didn't want her looking at his scars.

"Thanks fer tellin' me. I guess I gotta talk ta her." He said.

She nodded. "Yes, you do. I'm going to tell her that you sent for her. I don't want her talking to too many people yet until you tell her. I don't know how many people knew what was going on with that and the last thing we need is someone screwing something up. You two did the deed; you two need to be the ones to discuss it."

"Alright! Ya gotta keep bringin' that up?" Daryl grumbled.

Heather chuckled. "No. I just think it's funny how you blush whenever I mention sex. See? There you go again. It's so cute!"

Daryl slid down into the bed. He pulled the sheet over his head and shot her the bird. She laughed once more and then he heard the door open and shut. He lay there for several minutes, trying to think of what to say to her. He didn't anticipate that he would have to do this. He was relieved that she had her memory back, but where would that leave them now?

...

****AN: Okay. So apparently the majority of you figured out that Beth got her memory back last chapter but there were a few of you that were confused. Sorry about that. I couldn't just come right out and say it and with everything that was going on, I figured none of the group would be able to notice that her memory was back right away. When Beth woke up she was confused because her mind only remembered everything that happened right up to her accident. I read that sometimes with memory loss, you can regain your memory but forget the most recent events that happened when you lost it. I'm not a doctor, this is just something I learned from good old Google. LOL. I hope that this chapter clarifies a lot for those of you who were confused. I honestly thought that everyone would catch onto it, but when all of you didn't, I knew I had to write this next chapter and get it out for you. I can't have you all being confused! So yes, our Beth is back! We'll have some things to work through obviously with the couple but I think things might be relatively calmer. For now. :) I want to thank you all for the reviews. They were wonderful and spurred me on to get this out for you. Thanks for reading and for being such great reviewers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know your thoughts!**


	70. Chapter 70

****AN: Sorry I seem to have been absent from this story the past few days. I got a little bogged down with ideas and couldn't seem to get my focus back. The first part of this chapter is from Rick's POV as I felt it was necessary to check in with the others from time to time. I'm not _entirely_ satisfied with this chapter, but like all things, the show must go on! Maybe I just need to get this one out and then the next will come easier. Hard to say. Usually I find when I'm not happy with the way a chapter has turned out, you all seem to love it. It's weird how that happens. I'm fiddling with the idea of ending this one sooner than I had planned and maybe starting another Beth/Daryl fic. Thoughts? **

**...**

It was amazing what you started to consider as normal after surviving all that the group had been faced with. Today was a day that Rick considered as a _normal_ day. Gretta was looking somewhat better and he had learned through several members of the group that Beth had regained her memory. It might not seem like it to some, but today was a good day, all things considered. He made his way over to see Carol who was currently at the garden that they were trying to get going. She looked a little frustrated and he hoped that nothing bad had happened.

"Hey. You okay?" He asked as he approached her.

She looked up at him from her kneeling position by the garden and squinted as she tried to shield the sun from her eyes. She sighed. "I think we're running out of room here Rick," She said.

He knelt down next to her so that they were on the same level and she didn't have to lean back to look at him. He studied the small garden and nodded. "I think you're right," He commented. They had a pretty good thing going here, but their group had expanded since they had first gotten here. Even though the place had been a military base, it wasn't that big. He had been pondering their options for a few days now. He didn't really want to leave. Moving a group of their size would be risky and they had already been through so much recently.

"I had a feeling you were going to say that," Carol replied dryly.

Rick chuckled and bumped her shoulder teasingly. "Hoping I might disagree?" He asked.

She smiled and then grew serious. "I like it here," She slipped her hand in his. "I feel safe here."

He looked down at their joined hands. Her hand was so small and pale compared to his. They were so different that sometimes he wondered what she saw in him. He had always figured that he would grow old with Lori but something that would have been so simple _before_ the apocalypse had claimed the life of his wife. He still thought of her from time to time but he knew it was beyond time to move on. He deserved to find some happiness for himself and he thought he might have found it in Carol. She was so caring and timid and he found that he could talk to her about anything without judgment. They had been becoming more bold with their affection for each other in public and he knew that the others knew that they were together. He knew Carl knew about it too, but he had yet to come to Rick about it. He figured he would though when he was ready.

He looked up from his thoughts and found Carol watching him, a small smile teasing her lips. He found himself smiling back at her."What?" He asked.

"You," She chuckled. "You're doing it again. Analyzing everything. Placing the weight of the group upon your shoulders," She replied.

He let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "Was I?" He asked even though he knew the answer.

She turned her body so that she could lean back against his chest, both of them still on the ground. "You're only one man, Rick. Stop trying to take on everyone's problems. No one expects you to have all the answers," She said.

"It's hard. Sometimes I feel like everyone _does _expect me to have all the answers so I try to figure out the solutions before they're presented."

She twisted her head to look up at him. "You should try spreading out the responsibility again. You were doing lots better when you let Daryl take over for a while. It doesn't have to be all up to you. What about Glenn, Mike, or Tyreese? They all seem more than capable to share the responsibility. We don't _have_ to have a leader you know. We do pretty well making decisions as a whole group."

He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder. She stroked his arm with her hand, playing with the hair that grew there. "How do you manage to read me so well?" He asked curiously.

She laughed. "You're not all that hard to read Rick. You wear your thoughts on your face most of the time. It's not hard to see if you know what to look for."

He pressed his lips against her neck. "And I suppose you know what to look for, hm?" He whispered.

She didn't respond and instead tilted her head back to kiss him, her tongue sliding into his mouth. He placed his hand on the back of her head and pulled her in closer, savoring her warmth. As they pulled away they remained where they were, both of them content to just sit and enjoy each other's company. This was their life. _This_ was their normal.

...

Beth was headed over to see Daryl at Heather's insistence and she was slightly nervous. She couldn't figure out why because it wasn't like she didn't _know_ Daryl, but it just felt different knowing that there was a brief period of time where she hadn't had her memory. It bugged her to not remember any events that had taken place over that short period of time. She supposed that she should feel lucky that she had her memory back and she really was, it just felt different. Her stomach was churning as she stood just outside of his door and then she surprised herself by knocking.

The door was opened seconds later and he peered out at her questioningly. "What ya knockin' for?"

"Uh," She paused, unsure how to answer that. She didn't know what had compelled her to knock. "Heather said you wanted to see me?" She asked instead.

He nodded and crossed over to the bed as she came in and shut the door back behind her. His hair was sticking up in places and it looked as if he had tried to comb through it with his fingers. He was fully dressed except for his boots and he sat down on the edge of the bed to put those on. She stood there, not knowing what to say. It had been easy to think of things to say when he had been drunk and she had had her hands full with trying to get him into the bed. Now he was more alert, although slightly hungover from the looks of things. She kept remembering their disagreement and how he had pulled away from her that time in the showers.

"Heard ya gotcha memory back yesterday," He commented.

She nodded. "It's weird because I didn't know I had lost it."

Daryl smiled lightly. "Worried me when ya did."

She sighed and sat down next to him on the bed. "I can imagine that you _were_ worried. I wish I could remember it, but it's as if it doesn't exist in my mind," She frowned slightly.

He finished putting on his boots and sat there, quietly gnawing on his thumb. He looked like there was something else that he wanted to say but he kept quiet so she waited him out. "Heard Gretta is doin' better," He said.

"I wouldn't exactly say _better_ but so far we think we've got her pain under control. Heather just doesn't have a way to predict how her leg will set. She may have a limp or have trouble putting pressure on it later on," She replied.

Daryl nodded, his expression grim. He suddenly reached over and grabbed her hand, his thumb rubbing short strokes over her skin. "I need ta talk to ya 'bout somethin'," He said.

She looked at him curiously. "Okay."

He inhaled deeply and then let it out slowly. "Ya remember what happened last time we were together in tha shower?" She nodded carefully. "Well, we thought ya might be pregnant, but Heather did a test while yer memory was gone an' ya ain't. Didn't want ya to be disappointed or nothin' an' if ya want, we can try again," He shifted his gaze from the floor up to her face.

She had to admit that she was a little disappointed to hear that she wasn't pregnant. She had figured that the first time she didn't use protection, she would be pregnant but apparently it hadn't happened that way. Maybe it was for the best and it just wasn't the right time for them to have a kid. She noticed he was looking at her, waiting for her reaction. She squeezed his hand. "What do _you_ want to do?"

He looked startled. "Ain't my decision ta make. You tha one whose gonna have ta carry tha thing 'round in ya belly so I s'pose it's mostly yer decision," He replied.

"It would be your kid too so I need to know your feelings about it."

He scratched his head. "I pretty much told ya in that shower. I jus' didn't want ya doin' nothin' like that without thinkin' 'bout it first. We might not be here forever an' we both know how much responsibility it is ta keep a baby safe out there because o' what we went through with Lil' Asskicker," He said.

She remembered being on the road with Judith and how they would have to keep her in the car as much as possible to muffle her cries. She wondered if Daryl knew something she didn't about leaving the base. She had grown comfortable here and she didn't relish the thought of having to leave. She leaned her head on his shoulder and breathed in his scent. It always seemed to relax her when nothing else could. It felt like it had been so long since she had been this close to him and she didn't want to move away. "I think I want to try again if it's okay with you," She finally said.

He didn't say anything and instead reached out with his finger to tilt her head up so that she met his steady gaze. He paused for the slightest moment and then slowly lowered his lips to hers. His lips were soft and warm on hers and she shifted so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. She parted her lips and felt his tongue tease its way into her mouth, tangling with hers. She moaned and he deepened the kiss, changing its intensity. They fell back onto the bed, his body partially covering hers as they kissed. His mouth felt so right on hers. She felt like she could spend all day lying here with him, kissing him. It felt so _normal_. When they finally pulled away, they simply lay next to each other, his thumb stroking her hand again.

"I love you," She whispered.

His thumb paused and then started again. "Love ya too."


	71. Chapter 71

****AN: So sorry I've been so absent from this fic! I've had different things going on and I've been trying to figure some things out. I made myself sit down today and start writing some more. I know there are still some of you out there waiting on another chapter and I thank you for your patience. This one is a little short, but I thought it deserved a chapter all to itself. I think it came out fairly well and I'm hoping you all will enjoy it as well. Please leave me a little review if you did! I appreciate it so much! Thanks everyone!**

**...**

Beth woke up the next morning with a horrible feeling of nausea. She glanced at Daryl who was sleeping soundly next to her and it hit her again. She flung off the covers and crawled frantically over him, causing him to come alert quickly. She lunged herself at the small trash can in the corner of the room and heaved up all of the contents of her stomach in one big heaping lurch. She moaned softly as her stomach clenched again and she spit up a little more.

She heard movement behind her and then felt Daryl's hand touch her shoulder gently. "Ya alright?" He asked with concern.

She didn't respond for several seconds as she tried to figure out if she was going to heave into the trash can again. She nodded softly as the nausea seemed to pass a little. He handed her a towel and she gratefully accepted it, wiping her face off with it. He helped her to her feet, both of them naked and neither of them really concerned about it at the moment. She sat down on the edge of the bed and Daryl sat next to her, a concerned look on his face.

_Maybe it was something that she ate?_ She might have reacted badly to something they had eaten for dinner. A lot of times they ate things that had been expired for a while, simply doing the sniff test and if that didn't work, the taste test. She was surprised no one had already gotten horribly sick from it so far that she knew of. But Daryl had eaten the same thing she had, and he looked perfectly fine sitting next to her. She didn't understand it. She didn't feel sick other than that and she had felt just fine last night.

Daryl was looking at her expectantly and she realized that she still hadn't answered him. "I think I'm okay now. It's passed," She sighed. "Must have been something I ate."

Daryl frowned. "We ate tha same thing. Ya ain't gettin' sick are ya?" He peered closely into her face.

She shook her head, "No. I don't have any other symptoms that I know of. Just the nausea..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes widening. She tried to remember when the last time was that she had had her period. She couldn't but then again the memory loss had her all mixed up. She could have had it during that time she supposed. She really didn't know.

"What's tha matter? Ya need tha can again?" Daryl stood up.

She grabbed at his hand, "No, it's not that. Daryl, I need to ask you something."

"What?" He asked.

"Did we...when Heather tested me, did we have sex again after that?" She asked softly.

Daryl frowned and paced around the small room, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah...we ain't use nothin' either," He murmured.

Her stomach fluttered nervously. _Could she be pregnant after all? _"I think I need to do the test again," She finally said.

Daryl nodded, "Alright. But this time I'm comin'."

...

Daryl paced the infirmary floor as he waited on Beth to do the test that was supposed to tell them if she was pregnant or not. He was chewing viciously on his finger because he had already made his thumb sore.

"Why don't you sit down? You're making me nervous," Heather joked.

"Betcha ten bucks he passes out," Gretta remarked from her cot by the wall. She was obviously feeling better since she was back to being her usual sarcastic self. However it would still be a while before she was able to move around again so until then she was pretty much confined to the infirmary. They had hung sheets across the back of the room and placed a mattress back there for Heather and Mike, who were currently sleeping there at night to keep Gretta from having to be alone.

Daryl would have been more relieved of the fact that Gretta was feeling better if he wasn't so distracted by the fact that Beth was in that bathroom waiting on an answer to whether or not he was going to be a father. He was suddenly terrified. _What if she was pregnant? What kind of father would he be? He would surely screw up._

He bit down harder than he intended on his finger and winced as he drew blood. Heather sighed and shook her head, coming over to him with a band-aid. He backed away from her.

"Ain't wearin' no damn sissy bandage," He griped.

Heather raised a brow, "Fine. Suit yourself. Gnaw them all off for all that I care." She busied herself at some shelves in the corner of the room.

"Calm down Daryl. Ya still got nine months 'fore it gets here if she is," Gretta said. "No sense in growlin' at every damn body."

Daryl ignored her comments, "Ain't it been three fuckin' minutes yet?" He asked.

"Children present," Gretta sang out.

"Don't act like ya ain't never heard it 'fore!" He shot back at her.

...

Beth stood in the tiny bathroom as she waited the three minutes the test required her to wait before looking. She could hear muffled talking coming through the door and she knew that Daryl was getting antsy waiting on her. It had taken her a few minutes to finally manage to pee on the stick and now all she had left to do was wait out her three minutes.

She was a little nervous. This was a big deal and even though they said she had taken the test before, she didn't remember it so technically this was her first time. She sat on the toilet at first, trying to stare at the wall in an attempt to pass the time. Then she stood up and paced back and forth in the tiny space, trying not to look at the test. Finally, she leaned her head against the wall and listened to the comforting sound of Daryl's voice coming through the wall. He sounded frustrated and she knew he was likely just as nervous as she was.

She heard a knock at the door. "Beth? I think it's time to check it. At least I hope so because Daryl is about to have a panic attack I think," Heather's voice called through the door.

"Just a minute!" She called.

Beth drew in a deep breath and then crossed to the sink. She closed her eyes as she picked up the stick. Bringing it up to her face she finally opened her eyes and gasped.

...

Daryl wished he had a cigarette in that moment but they didn't smoke indoors and he didn't even have his cigarettes on him. He watched Heather knock on the door and listened to Beth's muffled reply back. He crossed over to the door next to Heather.

It seemed like an eternity before Beth finally opened the door. Their eyes met and then she nodded, biting her lip. He let out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding and then smiled. She smiled back at him and rushed into his arms, burying herself against his chest.

"Congratulations," Heather said with a smile. She slipped to the back to give them a few moments of privacy.

"Thanks," Daryl mumbled, a little ashamed at his behavior moments before. He didn't know how in the hell he was going to do at it, but he was going to be a dad. He felt a little weak in the knees at the very thought of it.

Beth pulled back to stare up at him, "Are you okay?" She asked.

"I think so. It don't feel real."

She nodded, "I know. It doesn't to me either. I'm a little nervous to be honest," She said.

"Why? Ya ain't got nothin' ta worry 'bout. Ya do great with Judith. It's me that ain't never been 'round no kids. What if I screw it up?"

She pressed her lips to his in a soft kiss and then leaned her forehead against his chest. "You won't screw it up. I think you'll make a great father," She whispered.

Daryl felt himself grow warm at her words. The fact that she had that much faith in him was unreal. He tightened his arms around her, just as much for his benefit as for hers. He didn't know how he was going to make it through nine long months, but somehow he would figure it out. In the meantime, he had to keep her safe and it worried him that something could happen to her again.

"Yer my angel," He whispered.

She beamed up at him. "I love you so much."

"Well? What's the verdict?" Gretta's voice shouted from the other room.

"Guilty!" Daryl shouted as his lips descended onto Beth's, ignoring the whooping from the other room.


	72. Chapter 72

****AN: Hi all! I'm glad that everyone is excited about Beth's pregnancy! Thanks for all of the great reviews about it! I know some of you have expressed concern about when the story is ending so I thought I would ease your mind a bit. I had a dream about the end of this story the other night and it wasn't the way I was originally planning to end it but I think I'm going to go with it because I like it. So that being said, we do have a good bit more chapters to come before this journey is over. We will be exploring Beth's pregnancy but there may be some time jumps from time to time as the story progresses more. I didn't anticipate this going 72 chapters but the response was overwhelming so suddenly here we are! LOL! I'm not sure how many chapters are left exactly but I don't anticipate this going over 100 chapters if that helps any. So rest easy for now, we've still got more to come. OH, and there's some smut for you all at the end. I hope you enjoy! ;)**

**...**

It had been one week since Beth had found out that she was pregnant. They had told the whole group over dinner that night and everyone had been really supportive of their good news. Maggie was especially excited about being an Aunt and Heather was enlisting Carol's help to brush up on deliveries so that when the time eventually came, they would be prepared.

Daryl seemed a little more at ease with the idea now than he had been at first. Beth didn't know if that was due to the fact that he was getting used to it or the fact that she didn't look any different and it was hard for him to consider her pregnant. She knew that Daryl had a hard time envisioning things. He was a very visual man and she was interested to see how he was going to react during this pregnancy.

So far she had been sick every morning. She now slept on the edge of the bed with the trashcan nearby for her early morning heaving. Daryl was always supportive, gently rubbing her back as she heaved up everything she ate. She was physically drained. She hadn't thought about the fact that the pregnancy might make her sick. All she felt like doing was sleeping and she nibbled on crackers throughout the day to ease any random bouts of nausea that came upon her.

She was lying in bed now, having come back after lunch to take a nap. Except she found that she couldn't sleep and no matter how she turned, she couldn't seem to get comfortable. She sighed and was about to get up when someone knocked on her door. She called out for them to come in and smiled as her sister poked her head inside.

"Hey! How are you feelin'?" Maggie asked as she closed the door and walked over to sit on the edge of the bed.

Beth shrugged, "Not too bad at the moment. Just tired but I can't seem to sleep."

"I can't believe you're pregnant," Maggie said with a smile. "I always envisioned myself being the first one to have a kid."

This was news to Beth. Maggie had never really discussed wanting a kid with her before. Then again, they didn't have as many talks as they had used to either.

"Do you want a kid?" Beth asked her sister.

Maggie shrugged, her expression wistful, "I don't know. Sometimes I do and then other times I'm not so sure. It's scary out there, ya know? I would be a bundle of nerves."

Beth smiled, "_You_? I think you would be fine. Glenn on the other hand..."

Maggie laughed, "Poor Glenn. He would be so paranoid!"

Beth laughed too and grabbed her sister's hand. Her expression grew serious for a moment, "I'm actually a little scared too," She confessed.

Maggie squeezed her hand, "Everything's going to be alright. We'll figure it out as we go. I've heard talk about a move though, just so you know."

Beth frowned. "Now? I thought we would be here for a while," She said worriedly.

Maggie shrugged, "It's just talk. I don't know if Rick will want to move now that you're pregnant though. Too risky. Besides, poor Daryl would have a fit if we went outside of these fences. I think he's gotten even more protective of you lately, if that's even possible."

Beth laughed, "He's been wonderful so far."

...

Daryl finished up his chores for the day and then wandered around the yards, trying to give Beth enough time to finish her nap before he went back to the room. He found himself drawn more and more to her lately. He was constantly worrying about where she was and he knew that he must be getting on her nerves although she hadn't said anything about it. He was terrified of something happening to her and him not being around to prevent it.

He lit himself a cigarette and sat down on the bench to clean his bow. He hadn't used it in so long that he wondered if the thing would even work anymore.

"Hey, proud father to be," Tyreese teased as he sat down on the other end of the bench.

Daryl snorted, "I don't think it's really sunk in yet that I'm gon' be a dad," He said.

Tyreese chuckled, "Probably won't until the kid actually gets here," He commented.

Daryl took a draw off his cigarette and absentmindedly wiped at his bow again. He sighed, "Sometimes I think it's gon' be okay an' then other times I'm freakin' tha hell out an' wonderin' what in tha hell I was thinkin'," Daryl confessed. He found it easy to talk to Tyreese about things like this because Tyreese actually listened and he didn't feel like the man would judge him in any way. There was something calm and comforting about the man's presence.

Tyreese nodded thoughtfully, "I imagine lots of people go through the same thing. I'm sure you'll do fine though."

"I hope so. My ole' man was an asshole an' that ain't tha type o' person I wanna be. I catch myself wonderin' if I'll slip an' start actin' like tha man when tha baby gets here," Daryl said softly. He didn't want to be that kind of man. His father had been a violent drunk and he had beat him and his brother with a belt more times than Daryl cared to remember. He was terrified that he would turn into that man when the baby came.

"You're not your dad Daryl. Being an asshole isn't genetic," Tyreese said.

Daryl chuckled, "Ya did meet my brother Merle right?"

Tyreese laughed, "I didn't know him too well, but yes I've seen him and I heard the stories too. Seems to me like he tried to come around in the end though."

Daryl snorted, "Yeah, it was a bit too late then though," He muttered. He was lost in thoughts of his brother for a moment.

Tyreese stood up, "It's never too late to try and redeem yourself Daryl. I think your brother might have been trying to show you a different side to him, show you that it's okay to change," Tyreese looked down at him for several seconds and then casually strolled off, leaving Daryl alone to think.

...

It was late evening before Beth finally found herself alone with Daryl again. They had just eaten dinner and she had actually managed to nibble on some of the food and not feel like it was going to come straight back up. Now they were outside holding hands and walking around. It was very peaceful out and Beth leaned her head against Daryl's shoulder, enjoying the comfort of his scent and warmth.

He had been quiet during dinner and she wondered what was on his mind but she didn't pry. She knew it was probably something about the baby and she figured it would just be best to wait and let him try to work it out himself before she asked him about it. They walked around the duck pond and then the garden and slowly made their way back over to the courtyard where the moon shone down brightly. It was a full moon tonight and it cast a light glow over everything.

They continued strolling along until finally he came to a stop in front of the showers. She glanced up at him with a raised brow. He smirked down at her.

"Got somethin' in mind Dixon?" She teased.

His expression darkened, "Had it on my mind all week. Ain't had no time ta talk 'bout it," He said.

Beth laughed softly, "So you wanna talk then?" She teased.

Daryl opened the door and backed her into the space before shutting them into the darkness. "I ain't wanna talk. My body wants ta talk," He pressed himself against her and she gasped as she felt his erection press into her.

Lifting her hands above her head, he pinned them to the wall with one hand and then lowered his lips to hers. She immediately sunk into the kiss, bucking her hips against him lightly. He groaned into her mouth and released her hands, threading his own into her hair. They walked backwards to the showers and she felt his hands on her clothing as he began undressing her. Once she was naked she reciprocated, her hands stroking over the length of him as she pulled his pants off. He groaned as she wrapped her hand around his hard cock. The tip of him was wet and she used the wetness as lubricant as she continued to stroke him with her hand. He groaned as she used the other hand too and she smiled in the darkness. His breathing grew ragged and he gently pushed her hand away.

"Tryin' ta end tha show 'fore it starts?" He asked.

She giggled, "No. Just enjoying your moans of pleasure," She replied.

He spun her around and backed her into one of the stalls, turning on the water. She squealed slightly as the water rained down coldly onto their bodies. He chuckled and nuzzled his face into her neck, suckling softly. She leaned against the wall as his hands reached up to fondle her breasts. He played with her nipples, tugging and circling them with his finger until she panted beneath him. He trailed his hand down to her center and teased one finger inside of her as his mouth descended upon her nipple. The combination of the two made her body clench tightly and then she tightened around him, moaning as she found her release.

He pulled back slightly to stare at her, "Already?" He asked.

She blushed slightly, "Sorry," She murmured.

He responded by kissing her deeply, running his tongue into her mouth teasingly. They kissed for several minutes and she found herself becoming moist again. He lifted her up at her hips and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed a kiss to her neck before thrusting inside of her, making them both groan simultaneously. He pressed his forehead to hers, their breaths mingling under the spray of the water, as he thrust into her at a steady pace. Being so close to him and feeling his warm breath on hers made it seem all that more intimate and she quickly found herself on the edge again.

"I'll always protect ya," He mumbled and she felt his hand ghost over her stomach lightly.

She gasped and felt her body tightening around him as she cried out her release. He came moments later, spilling himself inside of her with a muffled growl. They stayed joined for several minutes as their breathing got back to normal again. She unwrapped her legs from around his waist as he pulled out of her. He tugged her under the spray with him and began to tenderly wash her, his fingers slow and gentle. She groaned as his soapy fingers kneaded her back lightly.

"I love you," She whispered.

His hands stilled for a second and then started back up again. He pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder before wrapping his arms around her middle.

"Love ya too," He murmured.


	73. Chapter 73

****AN: Hi! Sorry I've been so absent from this fic lately. I took a brief hiatus to get through some heavy chapters in my other fics. I haven't abandoned you all by any means, I'm just trying to get some other stuff written. I've got two fics getting ready to come to an end soon(this one included) and I'm just trying to make sure I've got everything covered. This is a lighthearted chapter and it's got a brief time jump of two weeks(as noted in the chapter) so I thought you all might enjoy it! Thanks for the reviews! Keep them coming! I'm also open to Deth story suggestions for when this fic is over! ;)**

**...**

Beth was not enjoying pregnancy as much as she thought. She didn't ever remember Lori being this sick with Judith. It had been two weeks since she had taken that test and just the smell of food had her running for the bushes. It had gotten to the point that she started carrying a small bucket around with her when she went indoors. No place was safe from her nausea and it struck her at the oddest moments. She wasn't sleeping well and that meant that neither was Daryl. The poor guy was hanging in there though and every time she got up in the night to puke, he was right behind her, rubbing her back. She loved him so much for that.

She was sitting in the infirmary now with Gretta keeping her company on the neighboring cot while Heather checked her over. Heather was concerned that Beth was throwing up _too_ much. Heather was currently thumbing through one of the books about babies that she had sent Gabby and Michonne on a run to retrieve. Heather put it down with a sigh.

"Alright. Here's the plan. We're going to try this Zantac that the girl's picked up first. If that doesn't work then I've got this Emetrol that the book says is safe. Neither of these are prescription. Let's pray that one of these work and you don't need something stronger. Prescription drugs are hard to come by," Heather said.

Beth nodded weakly, "I'll try anything at this point," She said.

Gretta had put down the book that she was reading and decided that the scene before her was more entertaining for now. "Ya wanna know what I think?" Gretta asked.

"No," Heather and Beth replied in unison.

"Well I'm gonna tell ya anyways," Gretta stuck out her tongue at the two women. "I think tha reason yer sick is cause ya gotta Dixon baby inside ya. I mean, look at Daryl, tha man is clearly lethal," She said.

Heather busted out laughing, "I think you should tell Daryl that the next time he comes by. He's due for another visit in what? Ten minutes?" Heather teased Beth.

Daryl had been clinging to her all day since Heather had decided to bring her in to the infirmary for a bit to monitor her. He seemed to be popping his head in the door like clockwork every thirty minutes and Beth figured it wouldn't be long before Heather stuck him with some kind of shot to knock him out. She snickered at the thought.

There was a knock at the door and Heather groaned. "At least we know it ain't Daryl. He don't knock," Gretta chirped.

"Come in!" Heather called as she dug into her supply cabinet for the meds to give Beth.

Beth looked up as Maggie and Glenn popped their head around the door and then walked inside. Maggie grabbed Beth's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "How are you feeling?"

Beth smiled back at her weakly, "Okay at the moment, but then again I haven't had anything more than water for the past thirty minutes. It seems to be the only thing I can keep down," She said.

Maggie glanced at Glenn and gestured to Beth with her eyes. It was only then that Beth noticed that Glenn had his hands behind his back. She eyes them curiously. He brought them around and placed a round object in her lap.

"It's cantaloupe!" Maggie exclaimed. "It's our first fruit from the garden! Maybe you can keep it down," Maggie suggested.

"Ooh, good idea Maggie," Heather said. She handed Beth two pills and Beth took them gratefully.

She smiled up at Maggie, "Thanks sis, it looks good. I'll try it," She said.

Maggie handed it to Glenn who was starting to look uncomfortable in the room with all the women, "You want to cut this and bring some back for Beth honey?" Maggie asked him.

Glenn nodded, "Yeah sounds good. I'll be back in a minute," He kissed Maggie on the cheek and tossed Beth a smile before walking out.

They could hear him talking to someone and then the door opened again. She smiled as Daryl strode over to her, his gaze flowing over her intently. He stopped next to the cot.

"How ya feelin'?" He asked.

Gretta snorted, "She's pukin' 'er guts up. How ya think she's feelin'? I told 'er it's cause she's got a Dixon baby inside 'er and they don't show no mercy," She said.

"Wouldn't be talkin' too big over there. Ya ain't got ya sea legs back yet. Easier for me ta catch ya," Daryl tossed back at her.

She smirked and crossed her arms, "Bring it on," She challenged with a smile.

Beth smiled at their playful banter. Sometimes she wondered if Gretta could somehow be Merle's kid that no one ever knew about. As much as he had screwed around, she figured it was possible. "I'm feeling alright for now. Heather just gave me something to try and help me with the nausea," She said.

"It safe for tha baby?" Daryl asked.

"Listen Dixon, I've got Beth and that baby's best interests at heart so you don't need to worry your pretty little head about it. I researched it. It's fine. Besides, at this point, she needs to take whatever we can get into her so she can keep some of her food down. This baby needs nutrients," Heather said.

"So how far along is she? Do you know?" Maggie asked Heather.

Heather wrinkled her brow in thought, "I'm guessing she's almost a month since we kind of know when the baby was conceived, or at least close to it."

Maggie nodded, "Okay. Listen, I'm going to get Glenn to bring that fruit by in a few minutes. I'm going out to help Carol with the garden. She's super excited about having fresh food," Maggie squeezed her hand affectionately.

Beth nodded, "Thanks Maggie."

When Maggie opened the door though, she almost ran into Glenn who was holding a bowl of the juicy fruit. She carried it over to Beth and grinned, "Enjoy!"

Beth stared down at the bowl of fruit. It looked appealing so that was a good sign and it didn't really give off much of a scent either. Both were very good things when you were always nauseous. She picked up a piece of the fruit and stuck it into her mouth. She resisted the urge to moan as the juices burst into her mouth. She closed her eyes and savored the taste. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten fresh fruit. When she opened her eyes, she saw Daryl watching her, his eyes darkening.

She knew that look but there wasn't anything she could do about it being that there were people around. They hadn't had much time to be with each other lately between her puking her guts up and both of them trying to catch up on sleep whenever they could. He picked up a piece of the fruit and held it out to her. She smiled and took it between her teeth. This time she couldn't resist moaning a little. He narrowed his eyes.

"How is it?" Heather asked, walking up and breaking the mood momentarily.

"So far, so good," Beth replied. "You guys want some?"

"God, yes!" Gretta spoke up from behind her book.

Heather gave her a look, "One piece. I'm going to pass for now. The baby needs it more than I do," She glanced at Daryl. "Give daddy a piece too. He could stand a little sweetness sometimes," She smiled at Daryl who gave her a look.

Beth held out the bowl to Gretta who eagerly grabbed a piece of the fruit, moaning in delight. "Oh my God! This is almost as good as a fuc-, freaking cheeseburger," She exclaimed. She was trying to cut back on her swearing and it was taking quite the effort on her part.

"When can ya leave outta here?" Daryl asked.

"Give her thirty minutes. If she can keep that fruit down, then I'll let her go back to you Prince Charming," Heather called from the other side of the room.

"Go ahead. I know you have things to do. Come back for me in thirty minutes?" Beth asked him.

He nodded and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Maybe later we can spend some time together?"

Beth blushed, "I hope so," She popped another piece of fruit in her mouth.

"Ugh, gag me," Gretta commented.

"Gladly," Daryl told her.

Beth pushed him away, "Go. See you in thirty minutes."

...

Daryl exited the infirmary, searching out Rick. They had spoken earlier again about the possibility of leaving the base and he wanted to talk to him about it some more. If Beth got her nausea under control, then Daryl was thinking it might be good for them to discuss leaving soon before fall and winter came back around. Summer was just starting so they didn't have much time to come to a decision. He found Rick over at the small duck pond, feeding the ducks stale crackers.

"Got a minute?" Daryl asked.

Rick turned from the fence and brushed his hands off on his pants, "Sure. What's up?"

Daryl gestured to the fence along the perimeter, "Take a walk?"

Rick nodded, "Sounds good."

They fell into step beside one another in a companionable silence. Daryl had grown really close to Rick over the years and since Rick had come back from his trip through crazy town, Daryl valued his advice. Often they would seek each other out whenever something was on their minds. It was comforting to know that the other was there when you needed them. Besides Beth, Daryl had never had that. He supposed Rick was his best friend and in some ways, his brother as well.

"How's Beth doing? Any better?" Rick asked.

"Maggie an' Glenn brought her some cantaloupe from tha garden. So far it seems ta be agreein' with 'er," He replied.

"Good."

"We talked 'bout movin' before an' I think it's a good idea. Lots o' places 'round here is empty. Tha garden we got helps but ain't much room ta grow tha amount of food that we need. We can't grow here," Daryl said.

"I agree. I've given it a lot of thought. If we're going to go, I think now is the time before Beth has the baby and winter sets in. Should we bring it up to the group at dinner?" Rick asked him.

Daryl shrugged, "Yer call. Ya been thinkin' 'bout where we can go?"

"Somewhat. I think we need to get outta Georgia completely. See what else is out there. It might be a little rough for us since we've been sheltered behind here for so long," Rick replied.

"So maybe we should take a couple weeks ta give everyone some trainin' time? If the group thinks it's a good idea," Daryl said.

"I think they will. I've heard a few people commenting about the lack of room. We've just gotten comfortable here. That's gonna be the hardest part I think."

Daryl nodded, "Yer right. I ain't thrilled 'bout leavin' but what else can we do?"

Rick shook his head with a sigh, bending down to pluck a piece of grass and tear it with his fingers. Daryl noticed that Rick did that occasionally when he was thinking hard about something or stressed out. He figured it was like cigarettes for the man and calmed his nerves. It amazed him how he had picked up on a lot of the group's habits. Glenn would talk a lot and try to crack jokes when he was nervous. Gretta clammed up completely and Beth bit her lip. They all reacted differently.

"I guess it's settled then. We'll open it up for group discussion at dinner," Rick said.


	74. Chapter 74

****AN: Hi all! I hope you are having a fantastic week! I got carried away in this chapter so you all get to reap the benefits. I must say that I don't smoke but I really pondered the idea of having a cigarette after I wrote this chapter! LOL! Anyway, if you haven't picked up on it yet, there's some ridiculously hot apology smut for being so absent here lately at the end of this chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find some ice...**

**...**

Daryl nodded at Rick after everyone was seated with their food at dinner. Heather and Mike had helped move Gretta into the mess hall and they had her a chair at the end of one of the tables with her leg propped onto one of the benches. Beth was sitting next to him, poking at her food. He was happy that her stomach had settled from vomiting on command but she still hadn't felt much like eating yet. Heather had told him it may take a while before her appetite returned fully. In one hand she held the fork that she was using to pick over her food and the other was underneath the table clutching his.

Rick looked at him and then cleared his throat and stood to gather everyone's attention. Daryl squeezed Beth's hand before standing up to walk over and stand with Rick. After a few minutes the quiet chatter trickled off and everyone continued eating silently as they stared at them.

"I have something I would like to bring up for group discussion. Some of you have already heard me mention it, but I'd like to know everyone's thoughts about it and see if it's something that we can all agree on," Rick began. "First off, this place is getting crowded. As you all know, we will have a little one joining us in about seven or eight months and that's only going to add to the crowd. Second, the area around us has been picked pretty well clean. We're having to travel farther and farther on runs and that's dangerous. Our garden, although great, is not going to produce enough food on its own to feed all of us. Last, I would like to open up the possibility of moving on and finding another safe haven for our group. I'm opening the floor for all suggestions and ideas," Rick finished.

Daryl watched several members whisper amongst themselves but no one made the move to be the first to offer any input. He surprised himself by speaking up.

"I think it's a good idea. It's practical. We still got tha whole summer an' fall before winter sets in an' that should give us plenty o' time ta find somewhere ta bed down. I don't wanna be travelin' too much when Beth gets further along," He commented.

Glenn nodded and raised his fork, "I'm all for it. It would be good to have a change of scenery."

Maggie murmured her agreement, "Y'all all know I go where Glenn goes."

"I like the idea, but I think some of us need to brush up before going back out on the road," Michonne suggested.

Rick nodded, "I agree with that. Maybe we can set up groups and have training sessions based on ability?"

"That sounds like a good idea to me. I could use some training myself but I would be willing to help train others as well. I like the idea of a move myself," Gabby spoke.

"What about Gretta?" Heather asked. "She's not ready to walk on her leg yet."

Gretta crossed her arms, clearly not pleased at being considered handicapped, "I ain't broke! I'll be fine," She pouted.

"We can set 'er up ta stay in a vehicle. Make sure she's got somebody with 'er at all times who can protect 'er," Daryl said. Gretta huffed and glared at him but he ignored her.

"I've already voiced my opinion to Rick but I'll tell everyone that I hesitate to leave because I've gotten comfortable here, but I can understand that this is something that we _need_," Carol commented.

Rick looked around at the room, giving any others a chance to speak. When it remained quiet, he nodded to himself. "Alright. Those are all good points. I guess we vote and majority will rule. All in favor?" He asked.

Everyone raised their hands and Daryl chuckled, "Guess it's a clean sweep Rick," He said.

Rick smiled back at him, "Indeed. Alright, first thing in the morning after breakfast, we start training. Some of you will have to be on light duty," He looked at Beth and Gretta. "But the rest of you can begin training. Those on light duty can start sorting through things that we will be taking. I don't want too many vehicles because we'll draw more notice that way, but we need enough to be comfortable in just in case we have to sleep in them. Glenn, I need to get with you about the map so that we can look it over and see all the places we have marked off."

Rick looked at Daryl, "Anything to add?"

Daryl shook his head. Rick had said all that he would have thought to say. He took his seat back next to Beth. It was official now. They were moving.

...

After dinner, several members gathered around Glenn and the map to discuss places of travel but Beth didn't feel like sticking around. She tried to coax Daryl into staying because she knew he wanted to, but he didn't want her going off alone. He spoke softly to Rick and then joined her by the door, taking her hand.

It was a muggy night and her shirt felt like it was plastered to her like a second skin. She fanned herself as they walked.

"Ya alright?" Daryl asked.

She laughed and rolled her eyes, "Daryl, I'm fine. I'm pregnant. I'm not dead. I'm not even showing yet," She said.

He chuckled. "I guess yer right. It jus' feels weird, ya know? I ain't never been no daddy before an' now that I'm this close, I ain't wantin' nothin' ta happen."

His words warmed her heart. She loved him _so_ much. "You're going to be a wonderful daddy," She whispered as he led her down the hallway to their room.

He eyed her as he shut the door, "Yeah?"

She nodded, biting her lip softly, "Yeah. You're already wonderful."

His eyes darkened, "How so?"

She pretended to think about it for several moments, earning her a playful growl from him as he wrapped his arms around her. She smiled up at him, "Well you're caring," She paused to kiss his neck. "honest," She kissed his hand. "smart," She lifted his hand and sucked on his finger, eliciting a groan from him. "and sexy." She pulled his head down to her and pressed her lips to his, slipping her tongue into his mouth.

His hand reached around to grip her ass and he pulled her firm against him. She let out a low moan as his erection rubbed against her. She was so turned on that she almost wanted to rip his clothes off. She couldn't understand it. Her skin felt like it was on _fire_. She pulled back to yank her shirt over her head. An idea came to her and she glanced at him before grabbing his shirt and ripping it where he had ripped off the shirt sleeves. The fabric tore easily since it was already frayed and he stood there in stunned silence as she literally ripped his shirt off of him. She stood back after she was finished, admiring the gleam of his muscles in the soft light of the lamp.

His nostrils flared and he backed her against the wall, "That was fuckin' hot," He muttered as his lips seized hers in a gripping kiss that had her knees shaking. He left her lips and she felt his mouth travel to her neck, sucking and nipping on her flesh. He reached into his waist and before she knew what was happening, he brought his knife up and cut the material of her bra that lay between her breasts, baring them to his eyes. He set the knife aside and pushed the straps down her shoulders and to the floor. She was so aroused that she didn't even care that it was her best bra. They stared at each other, panting and then she grabbed his pants, unzipping them to slide them down his legs. He stepped out of them, leaving him in just his boxers. He spun her around and she placed her hands flat against the wall, trembling with need.

His hands slid down her belly and he unbuttoned her pants to slide them off, his hands grazing her thighs as he pushed them down. She stepped out of them and started to turn around but he placed his hands on top of hers, pinning her in place.

She whimpered, "Daryl..."

He chuckled and nuzzled her neck. She tilted her head to the side to allow him access and he bit her shoulder gently. He removed one of his hands from the wall and slid it under her panties to her slit. She was dripping wet and she knew her panties had to be damp. He dipped his finger inside of her teasingly and she involuntarily clenched around him. She bucked her hips and only managed to press herself back against his cock that was straining against the cloth of his boxers. She tried to wiggle against him for relief but he pulled himself back.

"Not yet," He mumbled.

She growled and his other hand came down to cup her breast, tracing circles across her nipple. She leaned her forehead against the wall as her thighs quaked. His hand left her breast to wrap around her waist.

"Ya alright?" He asked, his voice suddenly serious.

She gritted her teeth, "Daryl Dixon if you ask me _one_ more time if I'm a_lright_ then I'm going to scream. You know what the hell is wrong with me," The last word ended on a moan as his finger proceeded to stroke her again.

He nibbled a trail across her shoulders and she felt herself building towards her orgasm. She was almost there; she could feel it.

"Come for me Angel," He whispered.

Her body bucked beneath his hand and she cried out, not caring who heard as she rode out the waves of pleasure that wracked her body. She felt him whisk her panties off and he stepped back for a second before he pressed against her again, _naked_. She was so consumed in her passion that she really didn't care how he did it, but she just knew that she needed it, _now_.

"_Now Daryl. Do it now_," She whimpered.

He grabbed her hips and pressed her over so that she was bent slightly, "Tell me if it's uncomfortable," He panted.

She felt the tip of him probe at the entrance to her and she bent over a little more, encouraging him to continue. He slipped just inside and paused, his fingers clenching her hips as he hissed in a breath. She breathed in and out heavily as she tried to wait for him to regain control. Finally, he eased all the way inside of her and began to slowly thrust. She could feel his sweat dampened hair tickling her back as he bent over her, his fingers splayed over her ass as he pumped inside of her. It didn't take long before she could feel the familiar building of sensations again and he slowed down, teasing her. She backed against him, refusing to let him torture her. He laughed deep in his throat and she made a note to get him back for this later.

At her whimper, he took mercy on her and began to increase his speed, his breaths coming in short gasps. They came together, riding out the wave of passion all the way to the floor where they collapsed against each other in an exhausted heap. It was several minutes before either of them could move or speak.

Finally she shifted off of him to lean her head onto his chest. He wrapped his arm around her, bringing her closer.

"I would ask ya what tha hell that was, but I'm scared it was jus' a dream," He panted.

She tilted her head up to look at him, "I don't really know. My whole body was on _fire_," She emphasized.

He chuckled, "Well whatever tha hell it was, I liked tha hell out of it."

She smiled, "Me too."

He reached out a hand to grab the blanket off of the bed and pull it down over them, "Hope ya ain't against sleepin' on tha floor. Don't think I can make it up right now."

She laughed and snuggled into his chest. She yawned, exhaustion settling in, "I love you Daryl."

"Love ya too Angel."


End file.
